VOA标准英语2013--Drone Strikes Key as Terror Threat Keeps US Embassies Closed

 

Drone Strikes Key as Terror Threat Keeps US Embassies Closed

STATE DEPARTMENT — Several U.S. embassies and consulates¹ remain closed as the U.S. works to counter potential al-Qaida attacks in the Middle East.

Another day of 19 U.S. embassy closings around the world...another day of drone strikes in Yemen.  The latest attack killed at least seven al-Qaida militants².

Anthony Cordesman, at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says drones are crucial in the fight against terrorists.  

“Unless you basically are willing to tolerate the growth of terrorist networks without any U.S. action except trying to defend the borders of the United States, this is the best tool we have," said Cordesman.

Yemen remains³ a hub for al-Qaida, even as authorities there say security forces foiled an attempted attack on Westerners in the country’s south.  Defense Minister Mohammad Nasser Ahmad:

"We can reassure⁴ you that the military forces will be acting⁵ with an iron fist and will maintain stability and security no matter what the sacrifices will be," said Ahmad.

But back in Washington, the State Department says that's not enough to bring its employees back to the capital, Sana’a.  Spokeswoman Jen Psaki:

“We are keeping it closed to keep our people safe and because we believe a threat remains," said Psaki.

The State Department’s threat warning has closed between 19 and 22 embassies and consulates at a given time. Daniel Serwer, an analyst⁶ at Johns Hopkins University, criticizes the move.

“It was a warning for a fairly substantial period of time in 22 countries. I mean, who can react to that? That’s not a useful kind of warning," said Serwer.

Anthony Cordesman disagrees.

“It isn’t just a matter of Yemen.  It isn’t just a matter even of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. The guidance that was coming from al-Qaida central, al-Zawahiri in Pakistan, also affected⁷ areas in Iraq and the Maghreb," he said.

The global threat revived painful memories in Kenya and Tanzania, where al-Qaida attacks on the U.S. embassies there killed more than 200 people 15 years ago. 

1 consulates   

n.领事馆( consulate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Consulates General of The People's Republic at Los Angeles. 中华人民共和国驻洛杉矶总领事馆。 来自互联网
• The country's embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions stationed in other countries. （七）家驻外使馆、馆和其他外交代表机构。 来自互联网

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 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。