VOA标准英语2010年-Democrats Deeply Divided Over Afghan W

USAID Administrator¹ Rajiv Shah (r) and Richard Holbrooke, Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, testify on Capitol Hill in Washington, 28 Jul 2010

A vote by the House of Representatives on emergency funding for the war in Afghanistan has revealed eroding² support for President Barack Obama's war policy among members of his own Democratic Party.  On Wednesday, the U.S. envoy³ to Afghanistan and Pakistan sought to defend U.S. civilian⁴ operations in Afghanistan before a largely skeptical⁵ House panel.

 

The U.S. Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, joined President Obama and other U.S. officials in condemning⁶ the leaks of tens of thousands of secret U.S. military documents on the Afghan war by the WikiLeaks website. 

"I just find it inexplicable⁷ that people who would take the oath of office to the United States would violate it in such an extraordinary way," said Richard Holbrooke.

At the same time, Holbrooke joined others in stressing that the leaks did not offer any revelations.  The Obama administration has been concerned about documents that suggest Pakistan's intelligence service has been aiding the Taliban.

At a hearing by the House Committee on Appropriations⁸ concerning civilian operations in Afghanistan, Democratic Representative Steven Rothman of New Jersey⁹ asked Holbrooke about the allegations of Pakistan helping¹⁰ U.S. and international forces as well as the Taliban in Afghanistan.

"Can you comment on the allegations of the Pakistani dual¹¹ game?" asked Rothman.

That question led to this tense exchange between Holbrooke and Rothman.

HOLBROOKE: "We are engaged in a very intense dialogue with the Pakistani military, with their intelligence service.  I myself have met with General . . ."

ROTHMAN: "Are we making progress in that regard?"

HOLBROOKE:  "We are absolutely making . . ."

ROTHMAN: "Then I must ask you my last . . ."

HOLBROOKE: "But not enough."

ROTHMAN: "Before my time is up."

During the hearing, Holbrooke and the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah, faced numerous questions from skeptical Democrats¹² and Republicans about political corruption¹³ in Afghanistan and how well U.S. taxpayer¹⁴ money is being spent there.

Holbrooke reminded the panel why the United States is in Afghanistan.

"I don't want to waste time going back to 9/11 [September 11, 2001], but that is why we are there," said Holbrooke. "We would not be choosing to fight on the most remote and difficult terrain¹⁵ in the world if we had not been attacked on September 11, 2001."

Representative James Moran of Virginia told Ambassador Holbrooke that he is one of many Democrats who originally supported the war effort in Afghanistan, but that he voted against providing emergency funding for U.S. forces on Tuesday.

"I don't disagree with any of the facts you have shared with us," said James Moran. "I do disagree with your conclusions, though.  You have lost me, for whatever it is worth, in terms of the viability¹⁶ of this mission.  And I voted accordingly yesterday."

This week's vote revealed how deeply the Democratic Party is divided over the war, with more than 100 House Democrats voting against emergency funding for sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan that President Obama requested in February.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey said he had to bring the funding bill to the floor, but that he could not bring himself to vote for it.  

"Military experts tell us that it could take up to 10 more years to achieve any acceptable outcome in Afghanistan; we have already been there nine years," said David Obey. "I believe that is too high a price to pay.  Now to those who say we must pay it because we are going after al-Qaida, I would note that Afghanistan is where al-Qaida used to be."

It was left to Republican lawmakers to speak up in support of funding the war, as did Republican Representative Jerry Lewis of California.

"Our first job as members of Congress is to support our troops - the men and women who are in harm's way, protecting our country," said Jerry Lewis. "It has been six months since the president sent the supplemental funding request to the Congress."

The vote on the war supplemental funding was 308 in favor to 114 against.  Only 12 Republicans voted against it.

 

1 administrator   

n.经营管理者，行政官员

参考例句：

• The role of administrator absorbed much of Ben's energy.行政职务耗掉本很多精力。
• He has proved himself capable as administrator.他表现出管理才能。

2 eroding   

侵蚀，腐蚀( erode的现在分词 )； 逐渐毁坏，削弱，损害

参考例句：

• The coast is slowly eroding. 海岸正慢慢地被侵蚀。
• Another new development is eroding the age-old stereotype of the male warrior. 另一个新现象是，久已形成的男人皆武士的形象正逐渐消失。

3 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。

4 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。

5 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

6 condemning   

v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• I concur with the speaker in condemning what has been done. 我同意发言者对所做的事加以谴责。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 inexplicable   

adj.无法解释的，难理解的

参考例句：

• It is now inexplicable how that development was misinterpreted.当时对这一事态发展的错误理解究竟是怎么产生的，现在已经无法说清楚了。
• There are many things which are inexplicable by science.有很多事科学还无法解释。

8 appropriations   

n.挪用（appropriation的复数形式）

参考例句：

• More commonly, funding controls are imposed in the annual appropriations process. 更普遍的作法是，拨款控制被规定在年度拨款手续中。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• Should the president veto the appropriations bill, it goes back to Congress. 假如总统否决了这项拨款提案，就把它退还给国会。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

9 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

10 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

11 dual   

adj.双的；二重的，二元的

参考例句：

• The people's Republic of China does not recognize dual nationality for any Chinese national.中华人民共和国不承认中国公民具有双重国籍。
• He has dual role as composer and conductor.他兼作曲家及指挥的双重身分。

12 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 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。

14 taxpayer   

n.纳税人

参考例句：

• The new scheme will run off with a lot of the taxpayer's money.这项新计划将用去纳税人许多钱。
• The taxpayer are unfavourably disposed towards the recent tax increase.纳税者对最近的增加税收十分反感。

15 terrain   

n.地面，地形，地图

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• He knows the terrain of this locality like the back of his hand.他对这一带的地形了如指掌。

16 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。