2007年VOA标准英语-US Commander Apologizes for Killings of Innocen

By Meredith Buel
Washington
08 May 2007

A U.S. military commander in Afghanistan has apologized for American Marines that killed and wounded innocent Afghan civilians³ following a suicide bombing earlier this year. VOA Correspondent Meredith Buel has details from Washington.

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Afghan youths look at an effigy of US President George W. Bush after setting on fire during a protest in Jalalabad, 1 May 2007

Last March, a convoy⁵ of U.S. Marines was driving along the main road in eastern Afghanistan between Jalalabad and the border with Pakistan when they were attacked by a suicide bomber⁶. One Marine¹ was wounded in the attack.

A preliminary U.S. military investigation⁷ found the Marines responded by firing indiscriminately at cars and pedestrians⁸, killing⁹ civilians, including children and elderly villagers.

The Marines reported they were under small-arms fire following the bombing, but the investigation found no evidence to confirm their testimony¹⁰.

A U.S. commander in eastern Afghanistan, Army Colonel John Nicholson, says he has expressed his condolences to Afghan families who lost loved ones during the incident. "Today we met with the families of those victims, 19 dead and 50 injured, and we made official apologies on the part of the U.S. government and on the part of the coalition," he said.

The death and injury toll¹¹ is one of the largest involving civilians since the war in Afghanistan began in 2001.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has publicly complained about civilian² casualties caused by NATO and U.S.-led troops fighting Taleban militants¹², saying the deaths are unacceptable.

Colonel Nicholson, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon by videoconference from Afghanistan, read the apology he made to the families. "I stand before you today deeply, deeply ashamed and terribly sorry that Americans have killed and wounded innocent Afghan people. We are filled with grief and sadness at the death of any Afghan, but the death and wounding of innocent Afghans, at the hand of Americans, is a stain on our honor and on the memory of the many Americans who have died defending Afghanistan and the Afghan people. This was a terrible, terrible mistake and my nation grieves with you for your loss and suffering. We humbly¹³ and respectfully ask for your forgiveness," he said.

Colonel Nicholson says the military made condolence payments, about $2,000 for each death, to the families.

He says events that lead to civilian casualties hurt the military's image with the Afghan population and have to be addressed in a forthright¹⁴ manner. "Regrettably it does happen because this is war. But we go to great lengths to avoid civilian casualties. If they do occur, we go to great lengths to try and make it right with the people who have suffered because that is not what America stands for," he said.

The military's investigation is continuing and Marines in the unit involved in the incident have been withdrawn¹⁵ from Afghanistan.

1 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 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。

4 effigy   

n.肖像

参考例句：

• There the effigy stands,and stares from age to age across the changing ocean.雕像依然耸立在那儿，千秋万载地凝视着那变幻无常的大海。
• The deposed dictator was burned in effigy by the crowd.群众焚烧退位独裁者的模拟像。

5 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。

6 bomber   

n.轰炸机，投弹手，投掷炸弹者

参考例句：

• He flew a bomber during the war.他在战时驾驶轰炸机。
• Detectives hunting the London bombers will be keen to interview him.追查伦敦爆炸案凶犯的侦探们急于对他进行讯问。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 pedestrians   

n.步行者( pedestrian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Several pedestrians had come to grief on the icy pavement. 几个行人在结冰的人行道上滑倒了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Pedestrians keep to the sidewalk [footpath]! 行人走便道。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 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。

11 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

12 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

13 humbly   

adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地

参考例句：

• We humbly beg Your Majesty to show mercy. 我们恳请陛下发发慈悲。
• "You must be right, Sir,'said John humbly. “你一定是对的，先生，”约翰恭顺地说道。

14 forthright   

adj.直率的，直截了当的 [同]frank

参考例句：

• It's sometimes difficult to be forthright and not give offence.又直率又不得罪人，这有时很难办到。
• He told me forthright just why he refused to take my side.他直率地告诉我他不肯站在我这一边的原因。

15 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。