2007年VOA标准英语-US Defense Secretary Says Afghan Border Attacks

By Al Pessin
Washington
16 January 2007

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Robert Gates listens to a question during a joint press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, 16 Jan 2007

U.S. Defense² Secretary Robert Gates says the United States would like to see Pakistan do more to stem the increased number of attacks on Afghanistan from its territory. Speaking in Kabul, Gates also says he would approve an increase in U.S. forces in Afghanistan if commanders believe they need it to sustain gains made against insurgents⁴ last year. VOA's Al Pessin is monitoring developments from the Pentagon.

Secretary Gates told reporters in Kabul there have been more attacks from the Pakistani side of the border in recent months. "There is no question that there has been a significant increase, I do not know the exact amount, but a significant increase in attacks from across the border and particularly North and South Waziristan. And it is a problem," he said.

The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said the cross-border attacks more than doubled in December. The increase follows a controversial agreement Pakistan's government signed with tribal⁵ leaders along the border, giving them responsibility for stopping attacks. Secretary Gates said the tribal areas along the Pakistani side of the border are home to what he called "al-Qaida networks," and that more must be done to bring them under control. "Pakistan is one of America's strongest allies in the war on terror, and we will continue working with the Pakistanis to see if there is a way that we can begin to reduce the violence coming from that side of the border," he said.

Secretary Gates said that during his one month on the job, he has been working to ensure that military successes made in Afghanistan last year are sustained. U.S., Afghan and NATO forces launched an offensive against Taliban insurgents after an increase in attacks last spring.

The annual winter lull⁶ in fighting has been interrupted in southern and eastern Afghanistan by the attacks from Pakistan. The secretary said he believes U.S. and allied⁷ forces must do whatever is necessary to respond to those attacks and to any further insurgent³ offensive this spring. "I think it is important for us to take the initiative in dealing⁸ with security threats, that we act together on this, and if the commanders in the field believe that more forces are required to do that, then I certainly would be strongly inclined to recommend that to the president," he said.

The U.S. defense secretary spoke⁹ after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who said he hopes the insurgents do try another offensive in the spring, so they can be defeated as they were last year. "The Afghan people and the international partners of us, the United States, NATO, are ready to give terrorism a serious blow when they come. And we want them to come and get defeated," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, Secretary Gates and Afghanistan's defense minister visited a security post along the border, where troops are trying to intercept¹⁰ attackers from Pakistan.

1 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。

2 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。

3 insurgent   

adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子

参考例句：

• Faruk says they are threatened both by insurgent and government forces.法鲁克说，他们受到暴乱分子和政府军队的双重威胁。
• The insurgent mob assembled at the gate of the city park.叛变的暴徒聚在市立公园的门口。

4 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

5 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。

6 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

7 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

8 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

9 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。

10 intercept   

vt.拦截，截住，截击

参考例句：

• His letter was intercepted by the Secret Service.他的信被特工处截获了。
• Gunmen intercepted him on his way to the airport.持枪歹徒在他去机场的路上截击了他。