2006年VOA标准英语-Senate Panel Defies Bush on Treatment of Terror

By Paula Wolfson
White House
14 September 2006

The stage is set for a confrontation¹ between the White House and the U.S. Senate on the sensitive and complex issue of how best to try and treat terror suspects. A key Senate committee has approved a proposal that has already been rejected by the Bush administration.

----

The problem is to come up with a system that will be effective, legal, and in line with international standards on the treatment of prisoners.

The U.S. Supreme² Court has, in essence, challenged the administration and the Congress to meet these criteria³. Everyone involved agrees the stakes are high, and acknowledges the task is very difficult.

The White House says part of the problem is the wording in the Geneva Conventions - which outlines international norms for the treatment of prisoners in wartime - is vague. President Bush says he wants a system that will permit tough interrogations within limits set by law, and will set up military commissions to try terror suspects.

President Bush meets with South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 14, 2006  
  
He made his case personally Thursday morning to Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives. A few hours later, he spoke⁴ about the issue again - this time following a meeting at the White House with the President of South Korea.

"This is an important program for the security of this country," said President Bush. "And we want to work with Congress to make sure that the program can go forward."

A House committee has approved a version of the legislation the president likes. But the story is very different in the Senate where several prominent Republicans on the Armed Services Committee are pushing a proposal opposed by the White House.
 

Senate Armed Services Committee, from left: John Warner, Carl Levin, Robert Byrd, Jack⁵ Reed, John McCain  
  
They include Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, former Vietnam-era prisoner of war John McCain, and Lindsey Graham, the only member of the Senate who is also a reserve officer in the military court system.

They want a program to try terror suspects that more resembles the traditional approach of military courts, with greater rights for the defendants⁶ than those envisioned by the Bush administration.

Their proposal was approved by the Armed Services Committee Thursday by a 15-9 vote, and sent on to the full Senate. Susan Collins was the only other committee Republican to vote with them, along with all the Democrats⁷ on the panel.

Senator Warner said he still wants to work with the White House, and complete work on the legislation within a matter of weeks.

"I respect the views of others who differ from us," said Senator Warner. "But it is a very important piece of legislation - one which I feel the Congress has an obligation to prepare and act upon and present to the president hopefully, before this September period of the Congress concludes."

Although he hinted at compromise, Senator Warner also indicated he believes the approach preferred by the White House may not meet the standards set by the Supreme Court, which ruled the current system for trying detainees does not meet Constitutional standards.

"It is my fervent⁸ hope that whatever the Congress does, the legislation will be able to withstand further scrutiny⁹ by the federal court system and indeed the Supreme Court of the United States," he said.

Among those backing Senators Warner, McCain and Graham is former Secretary of State Colin Powell. In a letter released Thursday, Powell said the world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of America's fight against terrorism. He said if adopted, the president's tough approach to interrogations and trials would add to those doubts.

When asked about the letter, White House spokesman Tony Snow said Powell, a retired¹⁰ general and former chairman of the Joint¹¹ Chiefs of Staff, is confused about the president's plan. Later, Snow apologized and said no one should question Colin Powell's commitment to winning the war on terror.

1 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

2 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

3 criteria   

n.标准

参考例句：

• The main criterion is value for money.主要的标准是钱要用得划算。
• There are strict criteria for inclusion in the competition.参赛的标准很严格。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

6 defendants   

被告( defendant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The courts heard that the six defendants had been coerced into making a confession. 法官审判时发现6位被告人曾被迫承认罪行。
• As in courts, the defendants are represented by legal counsel. 与法院相同，被告有辩护律师作为代表。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件

7 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 fervent   

adj.热的，热烈的，热情的

参考例句：

• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。
• Austria was among the most fervent supporters of adolf hitler.奥地利是阿道夫希特勒最狂热的支持者之一。

9 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。