VOA标准英语2009年-Europe-NATO React Positively to Obama

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomes the increase, which will bring US troops strength in Afghanistan to around 100,000

Sonja Pace | London 02 December 2009

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British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, London, 2 Dec 2009

"I think the whole House will welcome the announcement by President Obama - both of the objectives to the mission in relation to the Taliban and in relation to al Qaida, but also the numbers of troops, a very substantial part of which will go into Helmand province and will be an assistance in dealing¹ with the Taliban insurgency² there," said Gordon Brown, British PM

There has been initial positive reaction from Europe and NATO to President Barack Obama's announcement that he will send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and al Qaida. 

It was a long and eagerly-awaited decision - certainly in Britain, the second-largest contributor of troops to Afghanistan.

"As Commander in Chief, I have determined³ that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan," said President Obama.  "After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home."

Speaking in the House of Commons Wednesday, Prime Minister Gordon Brown welcomed the increase, which will bring U.S. troops strength in Afghanistan to around 100,000.

"I think the whole House will welcome the announcement by President Obama - both of the objectives to the mission in relation to the Taliban and in relation to al Qaida, but also the numbers of troops, a very substantial part of which will go into Helmand province and will be an assistance in dealing with the Taliban insurgency there," said Mr. brown.

Britain has 9,500 troops in Afghanistan, including Special Forces, and Mr. Brown promised 500 more earlier in the week.

But it is not just U.S. and British forces involved, about 40 other countries have sent troops under the banner of NATO.
 
In Brussels, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen welcomed President Obama's announcement.

"I think it is a right decision for Afghanistan and for NATO.  This is not a U.S. mission alone," he said. "There are 43 countries on the ground under NATO command and I am confident that other allies and partners will also make a substantial increase in their contributions."

The war in Afghanistan has come at a cost.  More than 1,500 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the war started in 2001; more than 900 of them American.

While support for the troops generally remains⁴ high, opinion polls show support for the war does not, indicating uncertainty⁵ about the ability to succeed and get out have been voiced openly - and not just in Britain. 

To many, President Obama's announcement that U.S. troops would begin coming home by mid⁶ 2011 will be welcome.  But, security analyst⁷ David Livingstone of London's Chatham House research center says hard deadlines can spell problems.

"It may well be that the Taliban will redouble their efforts to put political pressure by making that date unachievable and therefore create some instability in public perception of how this campaign is going to be fought in the longer term," said Livingstone.

Obama at West Point

President Obama made clear the United States cannot go it alone.

"Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan.  Now, we must come together to end this war successfully," said Mr. Obama. "For what is at stake is not simply a test of NATO's credibility - what is at stake is the security of our Allies, and the common security of the world."

The NATO Secretary General says he is confident more troops will be sent.  But European leaders have been reluctant to make firm new pledges.  The issue is a top agenda item when alliance foreign ministers meet this week in Brussels.

Talks are to continue January 28 at a special summit on Afghanistan in London.

 

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced his new strategy for Afghanistan, which has military and civilian⁸ goals. Reaction from Kabul is mixed.

Sean Maroney | Kabul 02 December 2009

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Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta (file photo)

"We have no interest in occupying your country," President Barack Obama said.
U.S. President Barack Obama has announced his new strategy for Afghanistan, which has military and civilian goals.  

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke⁹ directly to the people of Afghanistan as he outlined his new strategy for their country.

"I want the Afghan people to understand - America seeks an end to this era of war and suffering," the president said.  "We have no interest in occupying your country."

 Following Mr. Obama's speech, Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta spoke to reporters.

He says the Afghan government considers President Obama's announcement important for Afghanistan, the region overall and future U.S.-Afghan relations.

But while the Afghan government responded positively¹⁰ to Mr. Obama's plan, the reactions from ordinary Afghans in Kabul were mixed.

Sulaiman Khel is from Paktika province.  He says his message to President Obama is very simple: Do not send more troops.  He says Afghanistan needs financial support, not more foreign troops.

Mujeeb-u-Rahman is a student in Kabul.  He says he believes that if there are more American troops in Afghanistan, security will improve.

Sayed Abdullah is an Afghan government employee in Kabul.  He says Mr. Obama should just send the money instead of the troops.  He says he believes the security situation will get worse if there are more foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Abdul Rauf Mangal is a businessman from Khost province.  He says Mr. Obama's promise to strengthen the Afghan security forces is a good idea, and that Afghans will support him.  He says just giving money to Afghanistan is not enough.

This has been the deadliest year for foreign troops in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion toppled the Taliban government eight years ago.

Mr. Obama said late Tuesday the United States supports efforts by the Afghan government to reconcile with Taliban militants¹¹ who lay down their weapons and reject violence.  The U.S. president also said he hopes to start withdrawing American troops in July 2011.

People in Kabul embraced these concepts.  They also approved of Mr. Obama's so-called "civilian surge," a U.S.-Afghan partnership¹² that would help expand the country's agricultural sector¹³.
 

1 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

2 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

3 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

6 mid   

adj.中央的，中间的

参考例句：

• Our mid-term exam is pending.我们就要期中考试了。
• He switched over to teaching in mid-career.他在而立之年转入教学工作。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 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。

9 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。

10 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

11 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。

12 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

13 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。