VOA标准英语2009年-3 Missile Strikes Hit Northwest Pakistan

By Sean Maroney
Islamabad
30 September 2009

 

 
Pakistani officials say three suspected U.S. missile strikes have hit the country's Waziristan tribal¹ regions since late Tuesday, reportedly killing² at least 18 militants³. But such attacks may in fact hurt public perception ahead of an anticipated Pakistani military offensive in the area.

The latest missile strike occurred Wednesday in the North Waziristan tribal region.

It was the third strike in 24 hours allegedly by unmanned U.S. planes that targeted suspected Taliban and al-Qaida militants along the Afghan border.

A similar strike late Tuesday hit an alleged⁴ Taliban compound in North Waziristan.

Analysts⁵ believe this area is a stronghold for Afghan Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, who is blamed for attacks in Afghanistan against the Afghan government and foreign troops.

Hours earlier, another suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles that reportedly struck a Pakistani Taliban commander's house in South Waziristan.

Also Wednesday, the British Broadcasting Corporation's Urdu-language service received video allegedly showing the body of former Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud. The video showed minor⁶ injuries to the right side of his face and his body was covered with a white sheet.

Officials believe Mehsud died in an earlier U.S. missile strike.

U.S. and international intelligence officials say such strikes have helped to significantly reduce the al-Qaida network's effectiveness.

But the former security chief of Pakistan's tribal regions, Mahmood Shah, tells VOA that these strikes ultimately hurt Pakistan.

"[The] elimination⁷ of certain individuals, yes it is to the advantage of Pakistan. But destabilization, it is injurious to Pakistan," he said.

Analysts believe the Pakistani military is on the verge⁸ of launching a major campaign in South Waziristan, following the success of its operation in and around Swat Valley.

Shah says the United States appeared to have no involvement in the Swat offensive. He says he believes that played a key role in the Pakistani military's success.

"If it had some sort of assistance from the U.S., I think the support from the people of Pakistan would not have been there. So I think it was hugely successful because it was through an indigenous⁹ plan, and that it was without U.S. support," he said.

While most of the focus has been on militancy¹⁰ in Pakistan's northwest, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, reportedly said U.S. forces are turning their gaze on the country's southwestern province of Baluchistan. U.S. officials say they believe fugitive¹¹ Taliban leader Mohammad Omar is based around the province's capital of Quetta.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Patterson expressed concern about Omar and his council of lieutenants¹², who reportedly plan and launch cross-border strikes from their Pakistani safe havens¹³.

But days earlier, senior Pakistani military officials spoke¹⁴ in Quetta, denying that Omar or his commanders where operating in the area. 

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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

5 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。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 elimination   

n.排除，消除，消灭

参考例句：

• Their elimination from the competition was a great surprise.他们在比赛中遭到淘汰是个很大的意外。
• I was eliminated from the 400 metres in the semi-finals.我在400米半决赛中被淘汰。

8 verge   

n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• She was on the verge of bursting into tears.她快要哭出来了。

9 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

10 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

11 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

12 lieutenants   

n.陆军中尉( lieutenant的名词复数 )；副职官员；空军；仅低于…官阶的官员

参考例句：

• In the army, lieutenants are subordinate to captains. 在陆军中，中尉是上尉的下级。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lieutenants now cap at 1.5 from 1. Recon at 1. 中尉现在由1人口增加的1.5人口。侦查小组成员为1人口。 来自互联网

13 havens   

n.港口，安全地方( haven的名词复数 )v.港口，安全地方( haven的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Your twenty havens would back out at the last minute anyhow. 你那二十个避难所到了最后一分钟也要不认帐。 来自辞典例句
• Using offshore havens to avoid taxes and investor protections. 使用海面的港口避免税和投资者保护。 来自互联网

14 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。