VOA标准英语 Military Offensive in Pakistan Threatens Swat Peace

Thousands of people in northwest Pakistan are fleeing a renewed offensive by Pakistani forces against Taliban militants². With the army saying it has killed more than 45 militants since the operation began Sunday, the fighting casts further doubt on the viability³ of the region's peace deal that has been widely criticized by U.S. officials.
　
Pakistani paramilitary maintain a position on a high post in the troubled area of Pakistan's Lower Dir district, 26 Apr 2009

Pakistani media broadcast footage of thousands of people walking out of the Lower Dir region, fleeing helicopter gunship attacks and artillery⁴ strikes against Taliban militants accused of attacking security forces.

Provincial⁵ officials in the North-West Frontier Province repeated demands for militants in the Malakand division to honor their pledge to disarm⁶ after the government agreed to implement⁷ Islamic law throughout the district.

The deal sparked criticism from U.S. officials, especially when Taliban militants began moving closer to Islamabad. Last week, they took over Buner district, just 100 kilometers from the capital. The capture of the strategically important district raised fears militants may threaten a critical highway between the capital and Peshawar.

Provincial officials said Monday that although militants promised to leave Buner on Friday, many still remain in the area.

Pakistan's army spokesman has defended the government's approach in a series of interviews with foreign news agencies. General Athar Abbas tells VOA the strategy has succeeded in one of its main goals.

"The great achievement or victory for the government in this would be that they have politically disarmed⁸ the militant¹ groups of the valley," Abbas said.

Officials say the deals have shown to the Pakistani public that while the government has honored its commitment to militant demands for Islamic courts in Malakand, the militants still have not put down their weapons or halted their expansion beyond the Swat valley. Militants have said they will not disarm until the courts are fully⁹ functioning.

The army's assault against militant targets in Lower Dir District has left the peace agreement in doubt. Athar Abbas says the government continues to favor talks, but that does not mean it will rule out military action.

"If it could avoid a bloodbath and destruction and displacement¹⁰, I think that would be a great achievement. But in case it does not work out and they refuse to lay down their arms and insist to continue their struggle for whatever reason, then the government is keeping the military option open," Abbas said.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected Tuesday in Pakistan. In Kabul, he emphasized the strategic importance of securing Pakistan's border region with Afghanistan.

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 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。

3 viability   

n.存活(能力)

参考例句：

• What is required to achieve or maintain such viability? 要达到或维持这种生存能力需要什么？
• Scientists are experimenting to find ways to ensure the viability of seeds for even longer periods of time. 正如我们所说，科学家正在试验努力寻找让种子的生命力更加延长的方法。

4 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

5 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

6 disarm   

v.解除武装，回复平常的编制，缓和

参考例句：

• The world has waited 12 years for Iraq to disarm. 全世界等待伊拉克解除武装已有12年之久。
• He has rejected every peaceful opportunity offered to him to disarm.他已经拒绝了所有能和平缴械的机会。

7 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

8 disarmed   

v.裁军( disarm的过去式和过去分词 )；使息怒

参考例句：

• Most of the rebels were captured and disarmed. 大部分叛乱分子被俘获并解除了武装。
• The swordsman disarmed his opponent and ran him through. 剑客缴了对手的械，并对其乱刺一气。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

10 displacement   

n.移置，取代，位移，排水量

参考例句：

• They said that time is the feeling of spatial displacement.他们说时间是空间位移的感觉。
• The displacement of all my energy into caring for the baby.我所有精力都放在了照顾宝宝上。