VOA常速英语2007-US Moves Toward New Rules for Iraq Security Cont

By Al Pessin
Pentagon
30 October 2007

The U.S. Departments of State and Defense¹ are moving toward a new system to control the activities of security contractors³ working for the two departments in Iraq. The department secretaries met Tuesday to review the issue, and are expected to make a final decision next month. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell says a joint⁴ working group has reached an understanding that would give more authority over security contractor² activities in Iraq to the U.S.-led multi-national command. But he indicated the plan would not put all the contractors under full Defense Department control. Morrell said he spoke⁵ to Defense Secretary Robert Gates after he had had a working lunch to discuss the subject with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"In talking with the secretary, he made it clear to me that the keys to whatever they come to, ultimately, agreement on must include a common set of standards, common rules for the use of force, and perhaps above all thorough coordination⁶ of all contractor movements well in advance," he said.

Morrell says the common standards would include a training requirement to give the U.S. military confidence that the contractors have the skills to fulfill⁷ their missions within the rules. He says all use of force in Iraq needs to regulated in the same way so it does not hurt what he called the "overall mission" of "winning the...trust and confidence of the Iraqi people." He says the new controls might mean more risk for the security contractors working for the State Department and protecting unarmed diplomats⁸.

The current controversy⁹ over security contractors in Iraq stems from an incident in September in which guards from the Blackwater company protecting a U.S. embassy convoy¹⁰ fired on Iraqi civilians¹¹ and killed 17 people. Blackwater says its men fired in self defense, but witnesses say the shooting was indiscriminate.

Since then, Secretary Gates has been working to find a new system that would provide greater control of the contractors, which Geoff Morrell says the evolving plan would do.

"One person, one entity¹², has got to know who's going where and when and what they're doing there," he said. "And, if it is unsafe or deemed not advisable to go there, someone is going to have the control to say, 'no, not at this time.' And as we envision that, as the common understanding of the working group has come to already, it would be MNF-I that would have that authority."

MNF-I is the multi-national forces command in Iraq, led by U.S. General David Petraeus. Morrell says Secretary Gates will not approve any plan unless the general also approves it. Morrell says the joint Defense-State working group will visit Iraq next week to discuss the new arrangement with General Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker.

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 contractor   

n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌

参考例句：

• The Tokyo contractor was asked to kick $ 6000 back as commission.那个东京的承包商被要求退还6000美元作为佣金。
• The style of house the contractor builds depends partly on the lay of the land.承包商所建房屋的式样，有几分要看地势而定。

3 contractors   

n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We got estimates from three different contractors before accepting the lowest. 我们得到3个承包商的报价后，接受了最低的报价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Contractors winning construction jobs had to kick back 2 per cent of the contract price to the mafia. 赢得建筑工作的承包商得抽出合同价格的百分之二的回扣给黑手党。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 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。

5 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。

6 coordination   

n.协调，协作

参考例句：

• Gymnastics is a sport that requires a considerable level of coordination.体操是一项需要高协调性的运动。
• The perfect coordination of the dancers and singers added a rhythmic charm to the performance.舞蹈演员和歌手们配合得很好，使演出更具魅力。

7 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

8 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

10 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

11 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

12 entity   

n.实体，独立存在体，实际存在物

参考例句：

• The country is no longer one political entity.这个国家不再是一个统一的政治实体了。
• As a separate legal entity,the corporation must pay taxes.作为一个独立的法律实体，公司必须纳税。