2007年VOA标准英语-CIA Releases 'Family Jewels'

By Robert Raffaele
Washington
27 June 2007
 

The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has declassified¹ hundreds of once-secret documents, detailing some of the agency's activities from the 1950s through the early 1970s. They include a plot to assassinate² Cuban President Fidel Castro. VOA's Robert Raffaele has the story.

The CIA released the documents on its website, in response to a 1992 Freedom of Information Act request.

CIA Director Michael Hayden called the documents a "glimpse of a very different time and a very different agency."

Besides the plot against Mr. Castro, the documents describe domestic spying, opening of private mail and the investigation³ of journalists.

Michael Gelter

Agents watched former Washington Post reporter Michael Getler for three months in 1971. "They were watching who I was talking to. They took pictures of who I was having lunch with. They actually took pictures through the picture window of our home," he said.

CIA employees have nicknamed the documents "the family jewels."  They were compiled in 1973 by then-CIA director James Schlesinger as he sought details about whether and when the CIA might have overstepped its authority.

Many details became known in testimony⁴ before two Congressional committees and one presidential commission investigating alleged⁶ intelligence abuses.

Gary Thomas, Voice of America's National Security Correspondent, says, "I think what it came down to was, a lot of this came down from the White House, it came down from the federal agents that they wanted this stuff done. [U.S. Attorney General] Bobby Kennedy wanted Fidel Castro assassinated⁷."

Thomas says although the official release offers no stunning⁸ revelations, it may spark more debate about frustrations⁹ within the intelligence community. "These investigations¹⁰ of the time led to putting up barriers between the CIA and other agencies, on domestic law enforcement or intelligence cooperation. They [intelligence community] were afraid they would get caught on domestic surveillance.  And this issue has now come back to the fore⁵ because now they're saying, 'Well, those committees actually hurt our domestic surveillance efforts, which might have prevented the 9/11 attacks, had we had a more robust¹¹ domestic surveillance.'  And I think if there is one thing these documents will do, is it might reignite that debate."

Revelations in the 1970s about covert¹² CIA activities directly resulted in the creation of two congressional committees that oversee¹³ U.S. intelligence matters.

1 declassified   

adj.解密的v.对（机密文件等）销密( declassify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Thousands of classified documents have now been declassified. 数以千计的保密文件现在被解密了。
• The software used for Siemens S7-300 encryption logic block declassified. 此软件用于对西门子S7-300加密逻辑块解密。

2 assassinate   

vt.暗杀，行刺，中伤

参考例句：

• The police exposed a criminal plot to assassinate the president.警方侦破了一个行刺总统的阴谋。
• A plot to assassinate the banker has been uncovered by the police.暗杀银行家的密谋被警方侦破了。

3 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。

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 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。

6 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

7 assassinated   

v.暗杀( assassinate的过去式和过去分词 )；中伤；诋毁；破坏

参考例句：

• The prime minister was assassinated by extremists. 首相遭极端分子暗杀。
• Then, just two days later, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. 跟着在两天以后，肯尼迪总统在达拉斯被人暗杀。 来自辞典例句

8 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

9 frustrations   

挫折( frustration的名词复数 )； 失败； 挫败； 失意

参考例句：

• The temptation would grow to take out our frustrations on Saigon. 由于我们遭到挫折而要同西贡算帐的引诱力会增加。
• Aspirations will be raised, but so will frustrations. 人们会产生种种憧憬，但是种种挫折也会随之而来。

10 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。

11 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

12 covert   

adj.隐藏的；暗地里的

参考例句：

• We should learn to fight with enemy in an overt and covert way.我们应学会同敌人做公开和隐蔽的斗争。
• The army carried out covert surveillance of the building for several months.军队对这座建筑物进行了数月的秘密监视。

13 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。