VOA标准英语2014--美国与塔利班交换囚犯受质疑

 

US Public Divided on Bergdahl, Taliban Prisoner Swap¹ 美国与塔利班交换囚犯受质疑

WASHINGTON — Even as President Obama defends his decision to trade five Taliban prisoners for one U.S. Army sergeant², there are early indications the American public is split over the controversy³. 

A Fox News poll shows, in the first few days, 45 percent approved of the swap while 47 percent disapproved⁴. Saturday's exchange and the administration's failure to notify lawmakers beforehand have sparked intense debate on Capitol Hill.

Perhaps never has the liberation of an American soldier from enemy hands provoked such acrimony in Washington and beyond. In Brussels, Obama responded to a chorus of criticism.

“We saw an opportunity, we seized it," he said. "And I make no apologies for it. We have a basic principle: we do not leave anybody wearing the American uniform behind.”

Such assertions do not sway Republican Senator Marco Rubio, who blasted the release of high-level Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

“I remain increasingly convinced from everything we have been presented that these five individuals that have been released will soon return to the fight against America," said Rubio. "The president has now set a precedent⁵ that will encourage enemies of the United States to target American men and women in uniform.”

Some Republican critics of the the administration previously⁶ urged strenuous⁷ efforts to secure Bergdahl’s release.

Still others allege⁸ the administration violated U.S. law by failing to notify Congress prior to the prisoner swap, reigniting a long running debate over congressonal authority versus⁹ presidential power.

“The law seems to me to be pretty clear that the committee should have been notified or at least, the leaders of the Committee,” Senator Susan Collins said.

But the White House maintains Bergdahl’s declining health made securing his release an urgent matter, and a national obligation to the sergeant and his family.

“I think it was important for people to understand that this is not some abstraction, this is not a political football," said Obama. "You have a couple of parents whose kid volunteered to fight in a distant land who they hadn’t seen in five years and they didn’t know if they would ever see again.”

Critics say the administration is grasping at feeble justifications¹⁰ for a poor decision.

Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss said, “I don’t think from a health standpoint there was any issue that dictated¹¹ the release of these five nasty killers¹² in return for Bergdahl.”

Adding to the controversy are widespread reports that Bergdahl wandered away from his post prior to being taken by the Taliban.

Analysts¹³ say the administration was unprepared for the outcry surrounding the sergeant’s release. Public opinion may change as more details emerge about Bergdahl's disappearance¹⁴ and the administation's handling of his release.

1 swap   

n.交换；vt.交换，用...作交易

参考例句：

• I will swap you my bicycle for your radio.我想拿我的自行车换你的收音机。
• This comic was a swap that I got from Nick.这本漫画书是我从尼克那里换来的。

2 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

3 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

4 disapproved   

v.不赞成( disapprove的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• My parents disapproved of my marriage. 我父母不赞成我的婚事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She disapproved of her son's indiscriminate television viewing. 她不赞成儿子不加选择地收看电视。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 precedent   

n.先例，前例；惯例；adj.在前的，在先的

参考例句：

• Is there a precedent for what you want me to do?你要我做的事有前例可援吗？
• This is a wonderful achievement without precedent in Chinese history.这是中国历史上亘古未有的奇绩。

6 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

7 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

8 allege   

vt.宣称，申述，主张，断言

参考例句：

• The newspaper reporters allege that the man was murdered but they have given no proof.新闻记者们宣称这个男人是被谋杀的，但他们没提出证据。
• Students occasionally allege illness as the reason for absence.学生时不时会称病缺课。

9 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

10 justifications   

正当的理由，辩解的理由( justification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• If he a vulgar person, she does not have justifications for him. 如果他是个低级趣味的人，她早就不会理他了。
• It depends on their effect on competition and possible justifications. 这则取决于它们对于竞争的影响和可能存在的正当抗辩理由。

11 dictated   

v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布

参考例句：

• He dictated a letter to his secretary. 他向秘书口授信稿。
• No person of a strong character likes to be dictated to. 没有一个个性强的人愿受人使唤。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

13 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

14 disappearance   

n.消失，消散，失踪

参考例句：

• He was hard put to it to explain her disappearance.他难以说明她为什么不见了。
• Her disappearance gave rise to the wildest rumours.她失踪一事引起了各种流言蜚语。