VOA标准英语2008年-US-Polish Missile Deal Irks Russia

The United States and Poland have signed an agreement to station elements of a U.S. missile defense¹ shield on Polish soil. In this report from Washington, Senior Correspondent André de Nesnera looks at the agreement which is vehemently³ opposed by Russia.
　
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski shake hands after signing missile deal, 20 Aug 2008

The agreement between Washington and Warsaw allows the United States to build, maintain and operate a military facility for ten ground-based, long-range missile interceptors. The site in Poland, along with a radar⁴ in the Czech Republic, forms the European component⁵ of a global missile defense system Washington says is needed against potential threats from countries such as Iran.

American officials have consistently said the missile defense system is not targeted against Russia. For their part, Russian leaders have always strongly criticized the missile defense system.

Robert Legvold from Columbia University, says Moscow's vehement² stance comes in part from its opposition⁶ to the enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - or NATO.

"They don't really believe that the theater-missile defense components⁷ in Poland and in the Czech Republic, although they are very small, are in fact, in the end, really intended for Iran," he said. "The other piece of this is that the Russians have opposed the general national military defense program of the United States for a very long time."

"And they put the two things together: they think this is the camel's nose under the tent, that the United States is putting in place in Alaska, now in central Europe and who knows where next, the components of an effective, for a much more extensive ballistic missile defense system that would be directed against Russian nuclear capabilities," he continued.

The United States and Poland, a NATO member, have been involved in tough negotiations⁸ over the stationing of defensive⁹ missiles on Polish soil.

Analysts¹⁰, such as Stephen Jones from Mount Holyoke College (in Massachusetts), say Russia's intervention¹¹ in Georgia spurred both sides to strike a deal following the visit to Tbilisi by Polish president Lech Kaczynski.

"The president traveled to Georgia [August 13] when there was a rally in Tbilisi and stood beside [Georgian president Mikhail] Saakashvili and said now we see the real face of Russia," he said. "Here is the president of Poland clearly suggesting that Russia is a serious military threat to all its neighbors. That is obviously going to lead to the action that its has taken - that is to defend itself as best it can."
　
Patriot¹² missile system

As part of the deal, the United States also agreed to provide Warsaw with a battery of Patriot missiles, a defense against incoming short-range ballistic missiles.

Robert Legvold says that part of the agreement is specifically aimed at Russia.

"The Russian military actions in Georgia not only broke through whatever resistance the Polish government had to doing the deal without getting further satisfaction on the terms of the deal, but in addition, pushed both sides to build in these extra defensive measures which are clearly directed against Russia," he said. "No one raises any question but that the Patriot missile battery, or batteries, that are to be put in Poland, plus the joint¹³ administration and patrolling of them by both U.S. and Polish forces, is designed for Russia."

Marshall Goldman from Harvard University says the presence of U.S. troops on Polish soil affirms Washington's commitment to Poland's security and defense.

"If the Russians should do anything to attack those missiles and American lives are at risk, then that would mean that the debate about whether or not the United States would actually do something to protect members of NATO would become academic," said Goldman. "And indeed because American troops were there, it would serve as a trigger and the United States would react."

As expected, Russia reacted strongly and angrily to the U.S.-Polish missile deal. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow's response will go beyond diplomacy¹⁴. But he did not say what measures Moscow is contemplating¹⁵.

 

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 vehement   

adj.感情强烈的；热烈的；(人)有强烈感情的

参考例句：

• She made a vehement attack on the government's policies.她强烈谴责政府的政策。
• His proposal met with vehement opposition.他的倡导遭到了激烈的反对。

3 vehemently   

adv. 热烈地

参考例句：

• He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈，以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
• Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。

4 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

5 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

8 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

9 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

12 patriot   

n.爱国者，爱国主义者

参考例句：

• He avowed himself a patriot.他自称自己是爱国者。
• He is a patriot who has won the admiration of the French already.他是一个已经赢得法国人敬仰的爱国者。

13 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。

14 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

15 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。