VOA标准英语2015--伊斯兰激进主义威胁巴尔干地区

In Balkans, Threat of Islamic Radicalization, Russian Influence Converge² 伊斯兰激进主义威胁巴尔干地区

The White House says violent extremism and Russian aggression³ in Ukraine are two of the greatest challenges to U.S. national security. And one place those threats converge is the Balkan region, where political instability, outstanding ethnic⁴ tensions and economic fragility make the countries of the area particularly vulnerable.

Large Muslim populations and historical and religious ties with Russia make the Western Balkan countries susceptible⁵ to these outside forces. Frank Wisner, a former U.S. ambassador and a former special envoy⁶ for Kosovo’s final status talks with Serbia, says that even though the Balkans is not a primary sphere of contest, it is affected⁷.

“I think it’s enormously important the Balkans be shielded from the rivalries⁸ of the major powers and second, that the issues in the Middle East not infect the Balkans,” he told VOA in an interview. “With regard to the latter, that’s the job of the intelligence services of Western Europe and the United States and those in the Balkans, to make certain that we track very carefully subversive⁹ elements flowing to and from the travel areas of the Levant and the Middle East.”

Countries such as Albania, Bosnia and Kosovo have approved legislation to prevent their citizens from becoming foreign fighters in conflicts elswhere and have made arrests among radical¹ factions¹⁰. But Ian Brzezinski, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense¹¹ and a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, says long-terms security measures require more than mere¹² legislations.

“It’s going to be [a] continuous, long-term undertaking¹³, where deepening that kind of interpolice, international intelligence cooperation, it’s going to only probably become more and more pressing, more and more demanding as time goes on," he said.

Balkan fighters in Syria

Since the conflict in Syria began in 2011, more than 20,000 foreign fighters — at least 3,400 of whom are Westerners — have gone to Syria from more than 90 countries, according to the Worldwide Threat Assessment¹⁴ of the U.S. Intelligence Community. Official figures from the Balkans and other sources say the number from these countries alone is at least 1,000. 

And compared to Western Europe, the Balkans have added vulnerabilities, says Brzezinski.

“The structures of governance and law enforcement are probably a bit weaker in the Balkan countries compared to their northern counterparts,” he said. “Some of them have fairly significant Muslim populations. Not to say that having a Muslim population is a bad thing, but it’s a reality that is being exploited by organizations like ISIS. These are countries that are in the poorer spectrum¹⁵ of the European economic landscape and whenever you have a situation of economic inequity, you have societies that will be more vulnerable to extremism.”

Former Ambassador Wisner says the United States has aimed to act as a stabilizing¹⁶ force and to help these countries agree to outcomes that are mutually acceptable.

But, he says, “there remains¹⁷ an unresolved political agenda in Bosnia, in Macedonia and, of course, between Kosovo and Serbia.”

Russia trying to extend its influence

Another risk factor in this region is the influence that Russia is trying to exert. Recently Secretary of State John Kerry was asked about this issue at a hearing before a U.S. Senate subcommittee.

“Whether it’s Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, other places — they are all in the firing line,” he said.

Russia has tried to use its traditional ties with Serbia to maintain its clout¹⁸ and has actively¹⁹ sought to extend its presence in the Balkans.

Serbia depends on Russia for its gas supplies, for example, with imports of 82 percent of the overall gas consumption. After being thwarted²⁰ by the European Union in its efforts to build a gas pipeline²¹ to Southeast Europe, the Kremlin is working for an alternative route passing through Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia, then into Hungary and perhaps on to Austria. And broadcasters Russia Today and Sputnik have presences in Serbia.

Brzezinski points out that Russia benefits from the time when the Soviet²² Union existed and created infrastructural²³ dependencies within the region upon what is now the Russian economy.

But as the Balkan economies modernize²⁴ and adopt European standards of law and commerce, he adds, they are weaning themselves from that dependency.

Even so, Serbia, for example, has not endorsed²⁵ EU sanctions against Russia. And when Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Belgrade last October, it was a reminder²⁶ that Serbia's close ties with Russia sit awkwardly with its EU ambitions.

Ambassador Wisner says it is important there be no crises for Russia to exploit that would further increase tensions between Russia, Europe and the United States, and that Europe must continue to press ahead with its inclusion of Serbia and Kosovo in the EU and attempt help Greece and Macedonia resolves longstanding issues.

“By settling these questions, there is no negative ground on which Russia can play and it’s easier to maintain the harmony that we all need in the Balkans for its own purposes," he said, referring to concerns that Putin is attempting to drive a wedge between the Balkans and the West.

An analysis late last year in the German magazine Der Spiegel details Russian efforts to influence developments in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and to present itself as an alternative to Euro-Atlantic integration²⁷.

Secretary Kerry echoed that concern during the Senate subcommittee hearing in which he described Russia as engaged in a “massive effort to sway nations, to appeal to them, reach out to them." Efforts that could result, he said, in a new kind of dangerous East-West zero sum game.

Greater Western assistance, EU integration

What the Kremlin exploits in the Balkans, analysts²⁸ say, is pervasive²⁹ corruption³⁰, weak institutions and lacking economic opportunity. The antidote³¹, says Brzezinski, would be greater assistance to the region by the West, and acceleration³² of integration into the EU.

“I think that the United States can more forcefully lean forward in terms of reanimating the vision of a Europe whole and free, pressing forward more assertively³³ for NATO enlargement, particularly to Macedonia and to Montenegro,” he said. “I think we ought to be working to the degree that we can to give Serbia greater confidence in the potentials of security cooperation with the West, to wean it away from its kind of pro-Russia outlook. I think continued and enhanced security cooperation between the countries of the Balkans and Western Europe — particularly Interpol and EU — is in order.”

But both Wisner and Brzezinski agree that integration is a two-way street and that the countries themselves will need to drive the process through aggressive reforms and achievement of the standards needed to become full members of the Euro-Atlantic community.

1 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

2 converge   

vi.会合；聚集，集中；(思想、观点等)趋近

参考例句：

• The results converge towards this truth.其结果趋近于这个真理。
• Parallel lines converge at infinity.平行线永不相交。

3 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

4 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

5 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

6 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。

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。

8 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

9 subversive   

adj.颠覆性的，破坏性的；n.破坏份子，危险份子

参考例句：

• She was seen as a potentially subversive within the party.她被看成党内潜在的颠覆分子。
• The police is investigating subversive group in the student organization.警方正调查学生组织中的搞颠覆阴谋的集团。

10 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

11 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。

12 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

13 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。

14 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

15 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

16 stabilizing   

n.稳定化处理[退火]v.（使）稳定， （使）稳固( stabilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The disulfide bridges might then be viewed primarily as stabilizing components. 二硫桥可以被看作是初级的稳定因素。 来自辞典例句
• These stabilizing design changes are usually not desirable for steady-state operation. 这些增加稳定性的设计改变通常不太符合稳态工作的要求。 来自辞典例句

17 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。

18 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

19 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

20 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

21 pipeline   

n.管道，管线

参考例句：

• The pipeline supplies Jordan with 15 per cent of its crude oil.该管道供给约旦15%的原油。
• A single pipeline serves all the houses with water.一条单管路给所有的房子供水。

22 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

23 infrastructural   

adj.基础结构的基础设施的

参考例句：

• Must increase the investment dynamics unceasingly, strengthens the countryside infrastructural facilities. 要不断加大投入力度，加强农村基础设施建设。 来自互联网
• In the 1980s, India started with some infrastructural advantages over China. 1980年代，印度在某些基础设施方面优于中国。 来自互联网

24 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

25 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》

26 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

27 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

28 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。

29 pervasive   

adj.普遍的；遍布的，(到处)弥漫的；渗透性的

参考例句：

• It is the most pervasive compound on earth.它是地球上最普遍的化合物。
• The adverse health effects of car exhaust are pervasive and difficult to measure.汽车尾气对人类健康所构成的有害影响是普遍的，并且难以估算。

30 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。

31 antidote   

n.解毒药，解毒剂

参考例句：

• There is no known antidote for this poison.这种毒药没有解药。
• Chinese physicians used it as an antidote for snake poison.中医师用它来解蛇毒。

32 acceleration   

n.加速，加速度

参考例句：

• All spacemen must be able to bear acceleration.所有太空人都应能承受加速度。
• He has also called for an acceleration of political reforms.他同时呼吁加快政治改革的步伐。

33 assertively   

断言地，独断地

参考例句：

• Using the right body language helps you communicate more assertively. 使用正确的肢体语言会帮助你更有主张力的交流。
• Learning to communicate assertively involves learning to be honest, open and direct. 果敢自信的交往方式的学习包括做到为人诚实、坦率和直言不讳。