2006年VOA标准英语-Commander Says NATO Passing Test in Afghanistan（在线收听）

By Al Pessin
Washington
17 August 2006 

Gen. James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command, briefs members of the press, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006
Gen. James L. Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander, U.S. European Command, briefs members of the press, Thursday, Aug. 17, 2006		    
     
The commander of NATO forces worldwide says he is not surprised by the level of violence in southern Afghanistan, where his troops have been fighting insurgents for months and took responsibility for security at the end of July. During a news conference at the Pentagon, U.S. Marine General James Jones predicted a gradual improvement in the security situation in the region in the coming months. 

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General Jones says Taleban insurgents, drug-traffickers and criminal gangs are testing NATO, as he expected they would.

"This is a strategic moment in the southern part of Afghanistan. It's a test of wills. Certainly the opposition is testing NATO to see if we in fact do have the will and the capability to stand and fight. And I think the evidence is so far that the answer is overwhelmingly yes," he said.

General Jones said in March that he did not believe insurgents in Afghanistan had the ability to "re-start an insurgency of any size and major scope." Since then, as warm weather returned to Afghanistan, there has been a significant increase in attacks by insurgents and criminals. In addition, NATO troops have tried to take the fight to the insurgents, challenging them in their strongholds.

But General Jones says he did expect some increase in violence, and he predicts that the situation will improve in the coming months.

"I believe that with the forces that we now have currently based in that particular section of Afghanistan that we will soon see an area that is going to gradually, over the next several months, become a little bit more stable," he added.

And the general says he does not believe NATO will have to send any more troops to Afghanistan to get the situation under control.

"We believe that the totals that we currently have planned are adequate and should be sufficient," said General James. "I don't see the need of asking nations for more contributions at this time."

General Jones says NATO has a reserve force ready to go to Afghanistan in case more troops are needed.

The NATO commander also said the international community and the Afghan government need to do a better job of fighting corruption and delivering services to the Afghan people. Without that, he says, military victories will not by themselves bring stability to the country.

  原文地址：http://www.tingroom.com/voastandard/2006/8/34045.html