VOA标准英语2011--NATO Learns Key Lessons in Libya Campaign

NATO Learns Key Lessons in Libya Campaign

NATO officials say they are close to ending their nearly seven-month-long bombing campaign in Libya, designed to prevent forces loyal to former leader Moammar Gadhafi from attacking civilians¹. The operation made it possible for the Libyan NTC fighters to take control of the country, but it also revealed some significant military and political challenges for the alliance.

NATO aircraft flew 26,000 missions over Libya, including 9,600 bombing runs. Alliance ships have evacuated² civilians and enforced a blockade on military equipment bound for the pro-Gadhafi forces.

The operation has had some problems, but it has been an effective effort launched on short notice. The top NATO military commander, U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, is pleased with that.

"I'd say the first lesson learned from Libya is that NATO works, that we can quickly with real alacrity³ and real strategic effect marshal force and bring it to bear in support, in this case, of United Nations Security Council resolutions," said Stavridis.

But Stavridis also acknowledges that the Libya operation revealed some shortcomings.

"Top of my list is targeting, the ability to fuse intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and produce coherent, precision targeting that does not cause collateral⁴ damage. We did a reasonable job on that but I think we could do better," added Stavridis.

Libya also revealed some political gaps in the NATO alliance. While all 28 member nations endorsed⁵ the operation, only eight participated.

And for Nick Witney, former head of the European Union's defense⁶ agency, that is disturbing.

"Few of the allies were actually prepared to participate in what, at least in opening phases, the saving of Benghazi, was surely one of the simplest geostrategic, moral, political decisions that one would have to take about whether to join an intervention⁷ or not," said Witney.

Witney's colleague at the European Council on Foreign Relations, former British defense official Daniel Korski, says that poses a very fundamental question about the future of the NATO alliance.

"What is NATO? Is it an alliance where we all fight together against common threats? Or is it an alliance where smaller mini-coalitions within the alliance are able to do whatever they want while people stand back," Korski asked.

But while Admiral Stavridis is eager for the alliance to close its capability⁸ gaps, he is not worried about its political unity⁹.

"I don't think there was an existential threat posed by Libya, but in fact, the alliance stepped up, undertook this. I think that's a good example of the alliance being willing to take on missions that are beyond existential," Stavridis noted¹⁰. "I think NATO has a role to play in the world, kind of a role for good, and I think we'll continue to do that."

The admiral is optimistic even though Europe's economic crisis is making it harder to fund defense spending to close the capability gaps, and people in many countries are reluctant to support foreign military operations after years of conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Libya.

1 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

2 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

3 alacrity   

n.敏捷，轻快，乐意

参考例句：

• Although the man was very old,he still moved with alacrity.他虽然很老，动作仍很敏捷。
• He accepted my invitation with alacrity.他欣然接受我的邀请。

4 collateral   

adj.平行的；旁系的；n.担保品

参考例句：

• Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
• Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押，这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。

5 endorsed   

vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 )；在（尤指支票的）背面签字；在（文件的）背面写评论；在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品

参考例句：

• The committee endorsed an initiative by the chairman to enter discussion about a possible merger. 委员会通过了主席提出的新方案，开始就可能进行的并购进行讨论。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has broadly endorsed a research paper proposing new educational targets for 14-year-olds. 政府基本上支持建议对14 岁少年实行新教育目标的研究报告。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 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。

7 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

8 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

9 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。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。