2007年VOA标准英语-Gates: Baghdad Operation Not 'Last Chance' to P

By Dan Robinson
Capitol Hill
07 February 2007

Defense¹ Secretary Robert Gates says the joint² U.S.-Iraqi military operation underway in Baghdad is not the last chance to prevail against insurgents³.  But in a second day of testimony⁴ on Capitol Hill, Gates said U.S. military planners are preparing for the possibility that the new effort won't work.  VOA's Dan Robinson is on Capitol Hill.

Robert Gates

Secretary Gates was asked by lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee to assess the Baghdad security operation which is in its early stages.

His response echoed testimony before a Senate panel the previous day, emphasizing that the effort is being implemented⁶ gradually.

Gates again quoted a report from the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General George Casey, who said "so far, so good" regarding the performance of Iraqi military units.

And he had this exchange with the Democratic committee chairman Congressman⁸ Ike Skelton.

"Bottom line question, what if this doesn't work," said Skeleton. "What are the alternatives for this country?

"I have said that I don't think this is the so-called last chance," Gates replied.  "As I have said, we hope this will work, we are funding it to work, we are resourcing it to work, we are sending the troops forward.  But I would be irresponsible if I did not have people looking at contingencies⁹ in the event that this does not work, and if in two months or so, three months or whatever period of time, people turn to me and say now what do we do?"

Lawmakers had another opportunity to inquire about the operational guidelines U.S. forces are following with Iraqi counterparts.

Reiterating¹⁰ U.S. forces will retain their own lines of command, Joint Chiefs Chairman General Peter Pace had this exchange with Hawaii Democrat⁷ Neil Abercrombie.

"If an Iraqi soldier, if an Iraqi sergeant¹¹ says this is where we are going, the Americans follow, is that correct," said Abercrombie.

"No sir that is not correct," Pace said.

"Then how is it going to work," asked Abercrombie.

"Sir, it is going to work this way," Pace said.  "The Iraqi commander will decided¹² what he wants to do.  He will go do it with Iraqi troops.  If they need support, he will ask his embedded¹³ U.S. support team for that support.  The American commander will decide whether or not that support is appropriate, and he will decide whether or not it is available."

Democratic Congressman Tim Andrews says there is ongoing¹⁴ skepticism that Iraqi troops are committed to the fight.

"That the problem really is not training, the problem is the loyalties¹⁵ of the troops, that their principal loyalties are to their tribe, or their sect¹⁶, or their warlord, as opposed to the Iraqi government," he said.

Republican Duncan Hunter suggests one way to measure the actual combat capabilities¹⁷ of Iraqi troops.

"To rotate all 129 [Iraqi] battalions¹⁸, over the next year or so, into a three or four month combat operational rotation," he said.

General Pace top says U.S. commanders are already trying to implement⁵ this approach with Iraqi commanders.

Committee chairman Skelton repeated his assertion that the temporary U.S. military surge in Baghdad and al-Anbar province is not likely to improve the overall security situation.

Skelton also believes U.S. military commitments in Iraq are hurting the ability of the U.S. to respond effectively to challenges elsewhere in the world.

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 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。

3 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

4 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

5 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

6 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

7 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。

8 Congressman   

n.（美）国会议员

参考例句：

• He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

9 contingencies   

n.偶然发生的事故，意外事故( contingency的名词复数 )；以备万一

参考例句：

• We must consider all possible contingencies. 我们必须考虑一切可能发生的事。
• We must be prepared for all contingencies. 我们要作好各种准备，以防意外。 来自辞典例句

10 reiterating   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He keeps reiterating his innocence. 他一再申明他无罪。
• The Chinese government also sent a note to the British government, reiterating its position. 中国政府同时将此立场照会英国政府。

11 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？

12 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

13 embedded   

a.扎牢的

参考例句：

• an operation to remove glass that was embedded in his leg 取出扎入他腿部玻璃的手术
• He has embedded his name in the minds of millions of people. 他的名字铭刻在数百万人民心中。

14 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

15 loyalties   

n.忠诚( loyalty的名词复数 )；忠心；忠于…感情；要忠于…的强烈感情

参考例句：

• an intricate network of loyalties and relationships 忠诚与义气构成的盘根错节的网络
• Rows with one's in-laws often create divided loyalties. 与姻亲之间的矛盾常常让人两面为难。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 sect   

n.派别，宗教，学派，派系

参考例句：

• When he was sixteen he joined a religious sect.他16岁的时候加入了一个宗教教派。
• Each religious sect in the town had its own church.该城每一个宗教教派都有自己的教堂。

17 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

18 battalions   

n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍

参考例句：

• God is always on the side of the strongest battalions. 上帝总是帮助强者。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Two battalions were disposed for an attack on the air base. 配置两个营的兵力进攻空军基地。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》