VOA标准英语2008年-US Says Allies Must Step Up Commitment in Afgha

By Sonja Pace
London
13 June 2008

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates urged NATO allies to step up efforts in Afghanistan during two days of talks in Brussels. The appeal comes amid similar calls for increased development aid for Afghanistan by the international community. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London.
　

Robert Gates speaks after a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, 13 June 2008

In talking with his NATO counterparts, Secretary Gates said he had decided² to put aside his prepared remarks and speak instead, "from the heart".

"I told them [NATO defense ministers] that my expectations are simple," he said. "I expect government decisions and actions to match government rhetoric⁴. Last month for the first time more coalition⁵ forces were killed in Afghanistan than were killed in Iraq."

Gates said there has been "significant security progress," but he said many shortfalls remain. He said NATO has not fulfilled promises members made at their summit in Bucharest, Romania earlier this year, when the alliance discussed the need for more troops on the ground and better coordination⁶ among coalition partners.

NATO leaders have acknowledged the importance of prevailing⁷ in Afghanistan and they've warned of the risks for the alliance and for international security, should NATO fail. The United States, in particular, has chided some members for not committing enough troops or not sending their forces to areas of Afghanistan where they are most needed in the fight against the Taliban or al-Qaida supporters.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, General Dan McNeill, the outgoing NATO commander in Afghanistan, said current troop levels are sufficient for progress.

"If you want a faster rate of progress you need a more capable force," he said. "If you're not willing to make the force more capable, then you have to accept the pace that you're presently at, which by some people's reckoning is somewhat slow."
　

US soldier with NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) patrols Farah province, 05 Mar3 2007

NATO has some 40,000 troops in Afghanistan, and the United States has several thousand additional soldiers mostly in the south on anti-terrorism operations.

McNeill said the Taliban are present in Afghanistan and in neighboring Pakistan and need to be fought on both sides of the border.

"If there are going to be sanctuaries⁸ just out of reach, it doesn't matter how many insurgents⁹ you kill or capture," he said. "They can continue to recruit, train, breed."

Bur cross-border operations are more complicated and have on occasion gone wrong. Early Wednesday a U.S. airstrike killed 11 Pakistani soldiers. The U.S. says it targeted insurgents across the border, but Pakistan called the strike "unprovoked and cowardly." The United States has expressed regret over the deaths, and the two sides have agreed on a joint¹⁰ investigation¹¹.

Calls for greater military commitment for Afghanistan come amid similar appeals for economic aid. Donor¹² nations and organizations meeting in Paris on Thursday pledged nearly $16 billion for Afghanistan.

1 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

6 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

7 prevailing   

adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的

参考例句：

• She wears a fashionable hair style prevailing in the city.她的发型是这个城市流行的款式。
• This reflects attitudes and values prevailing in society.这反映了社会上盛行的态度和价值观。

8 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

9 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

10 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

11 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

12 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。