2007年VOA标准英语-US Army Finds No Criminal Negligence in Friendl

By Meredith Buel
Washington
26 March 2007

Pentagon investigations² into the friendly fire death of a former U.S. football star in Afghanistan have found no criminal negligence³ by soldiers involved in the incident. However, investigators⁴ have recommended that nine officers, including four generals, be held accountable for critical errors made in reporting the death and failing to provide accurate details to the family. VOA correspondent Meredith Buel has details from Washington.

Pat Tillman (2003 file photo)

In April of 2004, former National Football League player Pat Tillman was killed on the battlefield in Afghanistan.

His death received worldwide attention because he had turned down a multi-million dollar contract to play American football in order to join the elite⁵ Army Rangers⁶ after the September 11th, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Initially⁷ U.S. military officials said Corporal Tillman died during a heroic attack on enemy Taleban fighters. A memorial service for Tillman was nationally televised across the United States.

However, weeks after his death, the Army told Tillman's family that soldiers in his own unit had shot and killed him by mistake - a case of fratricide, or friendly fire. An Afghan soldier was also killed during the incident.

Results of investigations released by the Defense⁹ Department Monday say the deaths were accidental.

However, the department's acting¹⁰ inspector¹¹ general, Thomas Gimble, says while there was no broad cover-up, military officers looking into the incident passed along misleading and inaccurate¹² information and delayed reporting that Tillman was killed by friendly fire.

"Overall, our review concluded that Corporal Tillman's chain of command made critical errors in the reporting and assigning investigative jurisdiction¹³ in the days following his death and bear the ultimate responsibilities for the inaccuracies, misunderstandings and perceptions of concealment¹⁴ that led to our review," he said.

 
Acting Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, (l), listens to Army Vice⁸ Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody  during Pentagon news conference, 26 Mar¹ 2007
The Acting Secretary of the Army, Pete Geren, says the military failed in its duty to provide the truth, as fast as possible, to grieving families of all soldiers who have died.

"Our failure in fulfilling this duty brought discredit¹⁵ to the Army and compounded the grief suffered by the Tillman family," he said. "For that, on behalf of the Army, I apologize to the Tillman family. But words are not sufficient. We are taking corrective action and requiring accountability."

Geren says the Army will not withdraw Tillman's Silver Star award, even though some of the information used to justify¹⁶ it was inaccurate.

1 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

2 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

3 negligence   

n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意

参考例句：

• They charged him with negligence of duty.他们指责他玩忽职守。
• The traffic accident was allegedly due to negligence.这次车祸据说是由于疏忽造成的。

4 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

6 rangers   

护林者( ranger的名词复数 )； 突击队员

参考例句：

• Do you know where the Rangers Stadium is? 你知道Rangers体育场在哪吗？ 来自超越目标英语 第3册
• Now I'm a Rangers' fan, so I like to be near the stadium. 现在我是Rangers的爱好者，所以我想离体育场近一点。 来自超越目标英语 第3册

7 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 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。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 inspector   

n.检查员，监察员，视察员

参考例句：

• The inspector was interested in everything pertaining to the school.视察员对有关学校的一切都感兴趣。
• The inspector was shining a flashlight onto the tickets.查票员打着手电筒查看车票。

12 inaccurate   

adj.错误的，不正确的，不准确的

参考例句：

• The book is both inaccurate and exaggerated.这本书不但不准确，而且夸大其词。
• She never knows the right time because her watch is inaccurate.她从来不知道准确的时间因为她的表不准。

13 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

14 concealment   

n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒

参考例句：

• the concealment of crime 对罪行的隐瞒
• Stay in concealment until the danger has passed. 把自己藏起来，待危险过去后再出来。

15 discredit   

vt.使不可置信；n.丧失信义；不信，怀疑

参考例句：

• Their behaviour has bought discredit on English football.他们的行为败坏了英国足球运动的声誉。
• They no longer try to discredit the technology itself.他们不再试图怀疑这种技术本身。

16 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？