VOA常速英语2007-Bush Says America Does Not Torture

By Scott Stearns
White House
05 October 2007

President Bush is defending his administration against reports that it authorized¹ harsher techniques to interrogate² suspected terrorists than it has previously⁴ acknowledged. VOA White House correspondent Scott Stearns has the story.

The New York Times says a February 2005 opinion by the U.S. Justice Department authorized a combination of physical and psychological tactics including head slapping, simulated drowning and exposure to extreme temperatures.

That previously undisclosed opinion came three months after a separate, well-publicized finding that declared torture abhorrent⁵.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office Friday, President Bush said all interrogation techniques used by the United States are lawful⁶.

"This government does not torture people. We stick to U.S. law and our international obligations," he said.

Mr. Bush said highly trained professionals are responsible for interrogating⁷ suspected terrorists, and, he says, that questioning has revealed information that has prevented possible attacks.

While confirming the existence of the February 2005 opinion, White House officials will not comment specifically about whether simulated drowning constitutes torture because they say discussing any interrogation techniques would allow the enemy to train against them.

On the Senate floor Thursday, Massachusetts Democrat⁸ Ted³ Kennedy said once again, Americans and people around the world are revolted by what he said is the Bush administration's refusal to reject degrading treatment of detainees.

"It would be bad enough if this administration had disgraced itself and this country by engaging in cruel and degrading treatment of detainees," said Kennedy. "It is worse still that it enlisted⁹ the Justice Department in the effort to justify¹⁰ and cover-up its activities."

Senator Kennedy says he is sponsoring legislation to apply the standards of the Army field manual to all U.S. government interrogations, including the Central Intelligence Agency.

Democrats¹¹ on the House Judiciary Committee say they will investigate the matter. They want the Justice Department to turn over the February 2005 memo¹² as well as a separate opinion later that year that found that no CIA interrogation methods violate Congressional standards forbidding cruel, inhuman¹³, or degrading treatment.

President Bush Friday said his administration has properly notified Congress about interrogation procedures.

"The techniques that we use have been fully¹⁴ disclosed to appropriate members of the United States Congress," he said. "The American people expect their government to take action to protect them from further attack. And that is exactly what this government is doing. And that is exactly what we will continue to do."

Thursday's New York Times story again raises the issue of the Justice Department's involvement in U.S. interrogation practices. That is likely to be part of upcoming Senate confirmation¹⁵ hearings for Judge Michael Mukasey to replace Alberto Gonzales as attorney general.

1 authorized   

a.委任的，许可的

参考例句：

• An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。

2 interrogate   

vt.讯问，审问，盘问

参考例句：

• The lawyer took a long time to interrogate the witness fully.律师花了很长时间仔细询问目击者。
• We will interrogate the two suspects separately.我们要对这两个嫌疑人单独进行审讯。

3 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。

4 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

5 abhorrent   

adj.可恶的，可恨的，讨厌的

参考例句：

• He is so abhorrent,saying such bullshit to confuse people.他这样乱说，妖言惑众，真是太可恶了。
• The idea of killing animals for food is abhorrent to many people.许多人想到杀生取食就感到憎恶。

6 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

7 interrogating   

n.询问技术v.询问( interrogate的现在分词 )；审问；（在计算机或其他机器上）查询

参考例句：

• She was no longer interrogating but lecturing. 她已经不是在审问而是在教训人了。 来自辞典例句
• His face remained blank, interrogating, slightly helpless. 他的面部仍然没有表情，只带有询问的意思，还有点无可奈何。 来自辞典例句

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？

11 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》

12 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

13 inhuman   

adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的

参考例句：

• We must unite the workers in fighting against inhuman conditions.我们必须使工人们团结起来反对那些难以忍受的工作条件。
• It was inhuman to refuse him permission to see his wife.不容许他去看自己的妻子是太不近人情了。

14 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。

15 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。