VOA标准英语2010年-US Drug Czar Kerlikowske Supports Mexi

The top drug control official in the U.S., Gil Kerlikowske, is speaking out against increasing drug violence in Mexico and in support of Mexican President Felipe Calderon. In the most recent violence, 21 people died Thursday in a gun battle between rival gangs in Sonora, Mexico, just 20 kilometers from the U.S. border. In an exclusive interview, VOA's Carolyn Presutti spoke¹ with Kerlikowske.

Every scene has familiar police markings - blood of the fallen, connections to drugs.  Fifteen dead in a gun battle in Taxco.
Fifty-five more at an abandoned silver mine near that same tourist town.

And every time Mexican President Felipe Calderon calls for it to stop.

"We are dealing² with security for the whole country," said President Calderon. "Criminals don't discriminate³. This is a moment of unity⁴ and decision."

Mr. Calderon can count on the Obama administration to back him.  Gil Kerlikowske is the top U.S. drug control official, commonly known as America's drug czar.  He has a long history in law enforcement.

"I'm very pleased that, one, President Calderone is very courageous⁵, in his administration, in taking this issue on," said Gil Kerlikowske. "And as he says, this is a question of who is going to run that country.  Is it going to be criminals, criminal enterprises?  Or is it going to be the elected officials and the appointed officials of that democracy?"

Crime experts say the cartels are running Mexico.  Midway through Mr. Calderon's six year term, drug-related violence has claimed more than 23,000 lives.  And lately, the targets have been political.

A deputy state prosecutor⁶ was gunned down in Ciudad Juarez, along the border with Texas.

A gubernatorial candidate was ambushed⁷ in Tamaulipas.

"I think history throughout the world, when it comes to law enforcement taking on organized crime, always shows an increase or a spike⁸ in violence as you confront them," said Kerlikowske. "That's horrible for the people in Mexico."

Kerlikowske spent years as a police chief in American cities, but he favors treatment programs over jail time for drug uses. He also praises Colombian President Avaro Uribe for lowering his country's coca production, resulting in less cocaine⁹ passing through Mexico into the United States.

"For many years, we would point our finger, particularly at Mexico, and say 'Please stop sending your drugs across the border to us.' And Mexico would say, 'Well look, if you weren't consuming so many drugs, we wouldn't have the problems we are having.'  I think we're pretty far past that," he said.

With drug use high, Kerlikowske says U.S. scientists conduct 85 percent of the world's research on drug treatment. He says more countries should take advantage of free information to start their own treatment programs. 
 

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 discriminate   

v.区别，辨别，区分；有区别地对待

参考例句：

• You must learn to discriminate between facts and opinions.你必须学会把事实和看法区分出来。
• They can discriminate hundreds of colours.他们能分辨上百种颜色。

4 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

5 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

6 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

7 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

9 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。