2006年VOA标准英语-US Pledges Another $1 Billion for Afghanis

By Michael Drudge¹
London
31 January 2006
 

Delegates pose for a group photograph at the London Conference on Afghanistan in central London, Jan. 31, 2006  
  
An international conference on Afghanistan has opened in London with the United States pledging another $1 billion in assistance for the war-ravaged country next year.

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The London conference has brought together officials from about 70 counties and international institutions to support a five-year plan for Afghanistan's security and economic development.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says there is much hard work still to be done in Afghanistan, and the United States will remain a strong partner.
 

Condoleezza Rice arrives on the first day of a two-day conference on Afghanistan at Lancaster House in London  
  
"The United States is fully² devoted³ to the long-term success of Afghanistan. For us, this is a strategic partnership," she said. "We have committed tens of thousands of our troops to help stabilize⁴ the country. We have sacrificed precious American lives. And now, in addition to our current commitment of nearly $6 billion, today, I am proud to announce that President Bush will ask our Congress for $1.1 billion in new assistance to support the Afghan people next year."

Other countries are making their own financial commitments to Afghanistan, including about $875 million from Britain. Russia says it is prepared to forgive $10 billion in Soviet-era debt.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai says his country will need at least $4 billion a year to meet the targets set by the London conference, and he says counter-insurgency and counter-narcotics operations are the top priority.

Mr. Karzai has told a news conference it will take a long time to eradicate⁵ Afghanistan's opium⁶ poppies, which produce 90 percent of the heroin⁷ consumed in Europe.

 
British Prime Minister Tony Blair, left, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai exchange a signed bilateral⁸ agreement on the future of Afghanistan, Jan. 31, 2006
  
"Afghanistan will need at least 10 years of a strong, systematic⁹ consistent effort in eradication¹⁰, in law enforcement and in the provision to the Afghan farmer of an alternative economy in order for us to be free of poppies by that time," he said. "So I would give it a decade."

Western powers are realigning their forces in Afghanistan for missions of counter-insurgency and security-force training.

The United States, which led the invasion of Afghanistan after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, plans to cut its forces this year from 19,000 to about 16,500 troops. Meanwhile, NATO plans to increase its troop commitment from 9,000 to 15,000 in the second half of this year.

U.S. forces have concentrated primarily on counter-insurgency operations against militants¹¹ from the former ruling Taleban, while NATO has provided training for Afghan soldiers and counter-narcotics police.

1 drudge   

n.劳碌的人；v.做苦工，操劳

参考例句：

• I feel like a real drudge--I've done nothing but clean all day!我觉得自己像个做苦工的--整天都在做清洁工作！
• I'm a poor,miserable,forlorn drudge;I shall only drag you down with me.我是一个贫穷，倒运，走投无路的苦力，只会拖累你。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

4 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

5 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。

6 opium   

n.鸦片；adj.鸦片的

参考例句：

• That man gave her a dose of opium.那男人给了她一剂鸦片。
• Opium is classed under the head of narcotic.鸦片是归入麻醉剂一类的东西。

7 heroin   

n.海洛因

参考例句：

• Customs have made their biggest ever seizure of heroin.海关查获了有史以来最大的一批海洛因。
• Heroin has been smuggled out by sea.海洛因已从海上偷运出境。

8 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

9 systematic   

adj.有系统的，有计划的，有方法的

参考例句：

• The way he works isn't very systematic.他的工作不是很有条理。
• The teacher made a systematic work of teaching.这个教师进行系统的教学工作。

10 eradication   

n.根除

参考例句：

• The eradication of an established infestation is not easy. 根除昆虫蔓延是不容易的。
• This is often required for intelligent control and eradication. 这经常需要灵巧的控制与消除。

11 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。