2007年VOA标准英语-Pentagon: Afghan Insurgent Offensive Could Begi

By Al Pessin
Washington
20 March 2007

A senior U.S. military officer says he expects Afghan Taleban insurgents¹ to launch a new series of attacks starting Wednesday to mark the Afghan New Year. The officer spoke² at a news conference at the Pentagon, and VOA's Al Pessin reports.

Major General Michael Barbero (file photo)

Major General Michael Barbero says NATO and coalition³ forces in Afghanistan expect the insurgents to launch a summer offensive, as they have in past years, with the first attacks coming perhaps within hours. "We expect increased activity. I think that's the pattern they've established, and that's what we should expect, [that] they'll try to disrupt the festivals and celebrations attendant to the Afghan New Year," he said.

General Barbero says Afghan insurgents have increased their use of suicide bombings during the last six months, but he says most of the attacks are not as effective as they were designed to be. He says he expects the insurgents to focus on small arms attacks, but to continue trying suicide bombings as well.

U.S. officials have said they want this year's summer offensive in Afghanistan to be a coalition and NATO offensive. General Barbero, who is the deputy operations director for the Joint⁴ Chiefs of Staff, says part of that is called Operation Achilles, and it has already started.

"Operation Achilles is designed to maintain the initiative and to blunt any of the enemy's offensive. It is focused in the south and along the border areas and its goals are improved security, improved economic prosperity, major infrastructure⁵ repair and a demonstrated commitment to the people by the government of Afghanistan for the long run," he said.

The general says the effort has already resulted in a decrease in violence and increased cooperation from tribal⁶ elders in the targeted areas. He says allied⁷ forces are planning new offensive operations all the time, but he would not provide details.

The general also reports Afghan military recruiting has increased 300 percent and the retention⁸ rate is up more than 50 percent, while the number of Afghan soldiers deserting their units has declined by more than one third.

1 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

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 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。

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 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

6 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。

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 retention   

n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力

参考例句：

• They advocate the retention of our nuclear power plants.他们主张保留我们的核电厂。
• His retention of energy at this hour is really surprising.人们惊叹他在这个时候还能保持如此旺盛的精力。