VOA标准英语2009年-Britain to Send More Troops to Afghanistan

By Jennifer Glasse
London
14 October 2009
The British prime minister says he plans to send an extra 500 troops to Afghanistan, if NATO coalition¹ partners follow suit and the Afghan government speeds up training its own forces. 

 
Britain's PM Gordon Brown leaves his official residence at 10 Downing St. for the House of Commons, London, 14 Oct 2009
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown began his regular question time in the House of Commons as he has always done, reading out the names of British soldiers recently killed in Afghanistan.

Because it was his first appearance after the summer recess², the list was long: 37 names. Despite Britain's growing losses in Afghanistan, Mr. Brown is sending 500 more troops, on the condition that other NATO coalition countries show the same commitment, the Afghan government promises to continue to expand its army, and British soldiers are properly equipped.

"I have agreed in principle to a new British force level of 9,500, which will be put into effect once these conditions are met," he said.

Britain is the second-biggest force in Afghanistan, behind the United States. Its involvement has been deeply debated in Britain. Nick Clegg of the minority opposition³ party, the Liberal Democrats⁴, said in Parliament debate the forces deserve gratitude⁵ and clarity.

"We also owe it to every single one of them to ask the difficult questions about what we are doing in Afghanistan. Are we doing the right things to succeed as I strongly believe we must?" He asked.

The prime minister responded by saying Afghanistan is vital to his country's security.

"We are there to protect the streets of Britain, we are there because al-Qaida poses a threat to us as well as it does to other countries and we are there because if al-Qaida took control again or had an influence in Afghanistan, under a Taliban government, then the people of this government would not be safe," said Brown.

Mr. Brown said attacking al-Qaida had to go hand-in-hand with a strategy of building capacity so that Afghanistan can take care of itself.

 
A British Ministry⁶ of Defense⁷ photo shows British troops as they prepare to go on patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand province (File)
"We will now move further and faster to implement⁸ our strategy, one that starts with training mentoring⁹ and partnering the Afghan army and police. And the more that the Afghans can take responsibility for security, the less our coalition forces will be needed in the longer term, and the sooner our troops will come home," he said.

The British prime minister acknowledged Afghanistan's first elections in August were deeply flawed. He said he and U.S. President Barack Obama agree that whatever new government emerges will have to make a new contract with the international community and its neighbors to build its army, take tough action on corruption¹⁰, create a more inclusive political process, reach out to moderate elements of the insurgency¹¹ and stronger control of local affairs. 

1 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

2 recess   

n.短期休息，壁凹（墙上装架子，柜子等凹处）

参考例句：

• The chairman of the meeting announced a ten-minute recess.会议主席宣布休会10分钟。
• Parliament was hastily recalled from recess.休会的议员被匆匆召回开会。

3 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。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

6 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

7 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。

8 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

9 mentoring   

n.mentoring是一种工作关系。mentor通常是处在比mentee更高工作职位上的有影响力的人。他/她有比‘mentee’更丰富的工作经验和知识，并用心支持mentee的职业（发展）。v.（无经验之人的）有经验可信赖的顾问( mentor的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• One of the most effective instruments for coaching and mentoring is the "role rehearsal" . 辅导和教学的最有效的手段之一是“角色排练。” 来自辞典例句
• Bell Canada called their mentoring system a buddy-buddy system. 加拿大贝尔公司称他们的训导系统是伙伴—伙伴系统。 来自互联网

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

11 insurgency   

n.起义；暴动；叛变

参考例句：

• And as in China, unrest and even insurgency are widespread. 而在中国，动乱甚至暴乱都普遍存在。 来自互联网
• Dr Zyphur is part an insurgency against this idea. 塞弗博士是这一观点逆流的一部分。 来自互联网