VOA常速英语2007-Pentagon Chief on Latin America Security Mission

By Al Pessin
Bogota
03 October 2007

U.S. Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates is in Colombia, the second stop on a five-nation visit to Latin America that began Tuesday morning in El Salvador. VOA's Al Pessin is traveling with the secretary, and reports his talks are focusing on regional issues and the war in Iraq.

A senior official traveling with Secretary Gates calls Colombia a strategic partner in combating drug trafficking and international crime. The official, who spoke² on condition of anonymity³, says the United States wants to negotiate a free trade agreement with Colombia, in part to provide the country with more tax revenues so it can finance more of its own defense needs.

The U.S. Congress wants to reduce military aid to Colombia in the coming years.

The official says Colombia has made good progress during the last five years in establishing security and improving government services, but he says the struggle is not over to, in his words, take back the country from narco-terrorists. Secretary Gates will meet with Colombia's top leaders on Wednesday, and the official says they may also discuss the possibility of establishing a small U.S. military base in Colombia, to replace one at Manta in Ecuador that that country's government wants removed.

On Tuesday in El Salvador, the secretary discussed the Iraq war and regional issues with President Antonio Saca and other officials. Secretary Gates thanked El Salvador for its continuing support for the coalition⁴ in Iraq, including the presence of 280 Salvadoran troops.

"Obviously, we would like to have the continued assistance of the Salvadoran contingent⁵ in Iraq in the future," he said. "This is essentially⁶ a decision that is up to the government of El Salvador. I would say that the government of President Saca has been very forward-leaning in this regard. He has told me that El Salvador will continue to play its part in helping⁷ us as long as necessary. But at the end of the day it's a decision that must be made by the Salvadorans."

Secretary Gates called El Salvador one of the United States' most faithful coalition partners, and he expressed his condolences for the five Salvadoran troops who have died in Iraq.

President Saca said he is committed to finishing the job in Iraq, but he added that it is very important to gradually reduce the number of coalition troops there as the situation improves.

After his talks here in Colombia Wednesday, Secretary Gates will travel on to Chile, Peru and Suriname.

1 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。

2 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。

3 anonymity   

n.the condition of being anonymous

参考例句：

• Names of people in the book were changed to preserve anonymity. 为了姓名保密，书中的人用的都是化名。
• Our company promises to preserve the anonymity of all its clients. 我们公司承诺不公开客户的姓名。

4 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

5 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

6 essentially   

adv.本质上，实质上，基本上

参考例句：

• Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
• She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。