VOA标准英语2008年-Former EU Envoy Calls for Review of Goals and S

The European Union's former top diplomat¹ to Afghanistan says the international community should review its aims and activities to stave off possible disaster there. Francesc Vendrell, who recently stepped down as the EU's Special Envoy² to Afghanistan, talked with VOA correspondent Gary Thomas, who has this report.
　
Francesc Vendrell in Kabul (2007 photo)

In an exclusive VOA interview, Francesc Vendrell called for a comprehensive review of international strategy and objectives in Afghanistan.

"We need to sit down, look at the strategy which we followed, decide whether this strategy is going to achieve the objectives we set for ourselves - and the answer probably would be 'no' - and then either review the strategy or perhaps also we need to review some of the objectives we were trying to pursue there," he said.

Vendrell says the mood in Afghanistan is gloomy. He says a sharp rise in activity by Taliban insurgents³, rampant⁴ corruption⁵ and extensive shortages of government services have contributed to what he says has been the worst year for the country since 2001.

"The perception of the Afghans in particular is that the situation is much worse," he said. "So there is a tremendous feeling of pessimism⁶ and skepticism about the future."

But he adds that the situation is salvageable⁷.

"We are not destined⁸ to fail," said Vendrell. "The Taliban are not going to be able, as long as the international forces are there, to, let's say, take over Kabul or seriously threaten Kabul or take over a major regional capital. But still, we need to review the policy we've been following."

Vendrell says the international community made several missteps in crafting a post-Taliban Afghanistan in 2001. In particular, he says reshaping the political system may have been a mistake.

"It is questionable⁹ in my mind whether a highly centralized presidential system is suitable for a country that is multi-ethnic, has two main languages, bilingual, and has two main sects¹⁰, the Sunni and the Shia, and which has a history of decentralization, at least de facto centralization," he said.

Vendrell adds that the allies placed far too much faith in President Hamid Karzai, but gave him too few powers to efficiently¹¹ do his job, particularly in checking independent warlords and their private militias¹².

"I think the Afghan people are feeling disheartened and very critical of his rule, partly because they feel he has lost the ability to set strategic objectives for himself, but also, I think, because we put too much of a burden on him without giving him - I mean the president - without giving him the means," Vendrell said.

The Taliban insurgency¹³ was thought to have been mortally crippled in 2001. But the militants¹⁴ have regrouped in new safe havens¹⁵ in Pakistan's tribal¹⁶ areas, from where they frequently attack U.S. and NATO troops.

The violence has also led to a 40 percent rise in civilian¹⁷ casualties in Afghanistan during the past year. President Karzai raised the issue in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday.

"The continuation of civilian casualties can severely¹⁸ undermine the legitimacy¹⁹ of fighting terrorism and the credibility of the Afghan people's partnership²⁰ with the international community," Mr. Karzai said.

The U.S. plans to send more troops to Afghanistan, as does France. Francesc Vendrell says the increased forces could help the situation, but he adds that they should be handled delicately.

"This ought to happen, if it happens at all, as part of an overall review of the political strategy we are following. And maybe, as part and parcel of a new approach, we may need more forces," he said. "But I have to say that Afghans are not clamoring for more foreign forces. They do, of course, want more Afghan forces, and I think that that's where we should concentrate."

Vendrell says sending additional troops into Afghanistan will be a sensitive issue for Afghans.

"But we have to be careful in adding military forces, foreign military forces, because the mistakes that keep happening - whether it is in terms of civilian casualties or in terms of breaking into peoples' homes or detentions²², taking people into detention²¹ to detention centers like the one at Bagram [air base] - are very unhelpful and create a lot of animosity amongst the population," said Vendrell.

Due to commitments in Iraq, the United States will not have additional troops available to send to Afghanistan until next year.

 

1 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

2 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

3 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

4 rampant   

adj.(植物)蔓生的；狂暴的，无约束的

参考例句：

• Sickness was rampant in the area.该地区疾病蔓延。
• You cannot allow children to rampant through the museum.你不能任由小孩子在博物馆里乱跑。

5 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

6 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。

7 salvageable   

adj. 可抢救的(可打捞的)

参考例句：

• Tank wrecks found on maps are no longer salvageable. 地图上自带的坦克残骸将不能被轴心国工兵回收。
• Their marriage was not salvageable. 他们的婚姻已不可挽回。

8 destined   

adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的

参考例句：

• It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。
• The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。

9 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

10 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句

11 efficiently   

adv.高效率地，有能力地

参考例句：

• The worker oils the machine to operate it more efficiently.工人给机器上油以使机器运转更有效。
• Local authorities have to learn to allocate resources efficiently.地方政府必须学会有效地分配资源。

12 militias   

n.民兵组织，民兵( militia的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The troops will not attempt to disarm the warring militias. 部队并不打算解除战斗中的民兵武装。 来自辞典例句
• The neighborhood was a battleground for Shiite and Sunni militias. 那里曾是什叶派和逊尼派武装分子的战场。 来自互联网

13 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网

14 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

15 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

16 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

17 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

18 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

19 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

20 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

21 detention   

n.滞留，停留；拘留，扣留；(教育)留下

参考例句：

• He was kept in detention by the police.他被警察扣留了。
• He was in detention in connection with the bribery affair.他因与贿赂事件有牵连而被拘留了。

22 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。