2006年VOA标准英语-Americans Begin Debate on US Nuclear Weapons Pr

By Stephanie Ho
Washington
27 December 2006

A debate is beginning to take shape once again in the United States between supporters and opponents of nuclear weapons. In the 1990s, following the end of the Cold War, many Americans questioned whether the United States even needed nuclear weapons. This time, the discussion is being driven by the Department of Energy's proposal for a multi-billion dollar, multi-year process to upgrade facilities that store, develop and assemble nuclear weapons. VOA's Stephanie Ho reports from Washington.

The National Nuclear Security Administration's Thomas D'Agostino publicly presented the so-called "Complex 2030" proposal in October. He said it is aimed at repairing and replacing, by the year 2030, what he described as "inefficient², old and expensive [to maintain]" facilities scattered³ around the United States. It calls for one central facility to consolidate⁴ production and storage of U.S. weapons-grade plutonium, which D'Agostino told a New Mexico newpaper would reduce security costs.

The plan would replace the current U.S. stockpile of more than 5,500 nuclear bombs and warheads with a smaller arsenal⁵ that the proposal says will be more reliable. The world's two largest nuclear weapons powers, the United States and Russia, have pledged to reduce their nuclear arsenals⁶ to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads each, by 2012.

Before the U.S. government can proceed, though, the Department of Energy must study how the plan will affect the environment and seek public comment.

At the last of a series of 17 public meetings, in Washington in mid-December, the National Nuclear Security Administration's Ted¹ Wyka said "Complex 2030" is needed to make sure the current U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile is working and up-to-date.

"Now, we must continue to ensure the safety and reliability⁷ of the nuclear weapons stockpile, without the underground testing," he said.

The Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which was adopted in 1996, bans all nuclear test explosions.

But Wyka stressed that as long as the United States has nuclear weapons, it also has to maintain them.

"We must have a responsive infrastructure⁸ to support the stockpile, because we know that stockpile repairs and replacements⁹ will be required," continued Wyka. "Components will continue to age. It will continue to wear out, and we must be in a position to fix those type of problems."

In spite of government assurances that "Complex 2030" is necessary and will be safe, many critics are not convinced.

At the Washington hearing, Susan Gordon, of the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, said she opposes the existence of nuclear weapons, at all. She said she believes the latest plan is an excuse for ramping¹⁰ up U.S. nuclear weapons production and capabilities¹¹. Gordon urged Americans to question what she describes as a U.S. dependence¹² on nuclear weapons, and she says the United States is setting a bad example for the rest of the world.

"It is now time for the American public to begin a national debate on current U.S. foreign policy that relies on nuclear weapons as a cornerstone of our security," she noted¹³. "U.S. proposals to build new nuclear weapons, while at the same time trying to prevent Iran and North Korea from developing them, severely¹⁴ undermine U.S. credibility in the international community."

The "Complex 2030" project also has united members of the religious and scientific communities in opposition¹⁵ to the plan, which both groups say goes against the spirit of nuclear arms reduction.

Twenty-three national religious organizations, representing Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalians, Evangelical Christians¹⁶, Mennonites, Methodists, Quakers and Unitarians, were among those who signed on to a formal statement of opposition.

The Greek Orthodox Church was represented at the Department of Energy hearing by John Chryssavgis.

"Why is increasing nuclear armament still even being uncritically considered as a viable¹⁷ option? The sheer costs are exorbitant¹⁸, human, financial, environmental, moral," he said.

Scientific groups that oppose the plan include Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Union of Concerned Scientists. The Union's Robert Nelson says the American public should push for the complete elimination¹⁹ of nuclear weapons, not programs that he says move the United States in the opposite direction.

"We need to get rid of them [nuclear weapons]. What is Complex 2030 about? It's about maintaining nuclear weapons forever," he said.

In an interview, the National Nuclear Security Administration's Wyka said all points of view will be taken into consideration when the final proposal is formulated²⁰. But he cautioned that as the Complex 2030 proposal process continues, one issue his office is not examining is whether the United States should even have nuclear weapons.

"The purpose of this effort is not to debate the types and levels and compositions of nuclear weapons in our arsenal," said Wyka. "That decision is made in other platforms."

The "other platforms" he referred to include presidential directives and actions by Congress.

Wyka stresses that his agency's job is limited to ensuring the safety, reliability and security of whatever U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile exists.

The "Complex 2030" process has just started. Members of the public can still send any comments to the National Nuclear Safety Administration during this initial period, which ends mid-January. Wyka indicates that after some fine-tuning on the proposal, there will be another round of public hearings in about six months.

1 ted   

vt.翻晒，撒，撒开

参考例句：

• The invaders gut ted the village.侵略者把村中财物洗劫一空。
• She often teds the corn when it's sunny.天好的时候她就翻晒玉米。

2 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

3 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

4 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

5 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

6 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

7 reliability   

n.可靠性，确实性

参考例句：

• We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
• I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。

8 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

9 replacements   

n.代替( replacement的名词复数 )；替换的人[物]；替代品；归还

参考例句：

• They infiltrated behind the lines so as to annoy the emery replacements. 他们渗透敌后以便骚扰敌军的调度。 来自辞典例句
• For oil replacements, cheap suddenly looks less of a problem. 对于石油的替代品来说，价格变得无足轻重了。 来自互联网

10 ramping   

土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏，闹着玩。
• Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗？

11 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

12 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

15 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

16 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

17 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

18 exorbitant   

adj.过分的；过度的

参考例句：

• More competition should help to drive down exorbitant phone charges.更多的竞争有助于降低目前畸高的电话收费。
• The price of food here is exorbitant. 这儿的食物价格太高。

19 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

20 formulated   

v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示

参考例句：

• He claims that the writer never consciously formulated his own theoretical position. 他声称该作家从未有意识地阐明他自己的理论见解。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This idea can be formulated in two different ways. 这个意思可以有两种说法。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》