VOA标准英语2009年-Training Afghan Forces Poses Challenge

Training a competent, well-equipped Afghan security force is key to the U.S.-led war effort in Afghanistan, even with President Obama's decision to commit thousands of more Americans to the fighting. But U.S. military officers in Afghanistan say language and cultural and resource gaps make that difficult to achieve.

Scott Herron | Logar and Kandahar Provinces 12 December 2009

 

US soldiers (R) talk to Afghan soldiers in training (L)

At a NATO airbase in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, U.S. and Afghan aviators¹ prepare for a training mission.

Eight years into the Afghan war, Afghan troops and their U.S. advisers² have settled into a sometimes tense relationship.  

The Americans try to advise the Afghans in Western methods of warfare³. But the Afghans often have their own way of doing things. And that sometimes conflicts with U.S.-led efforts to forge a larger, more independent Afghan security force.

"The biggest lesson really is being conservative and thinking outside the training they had. They all have been trained in the Russian style - this is way you've done this, so it's the way you always will do it," said Captain Tyler Rennell with the 438th Air Expeditionary Training Group.

But an independent Afghan military must be capable of adapting to an elusive⁴ enemy. U.S. Army officers say a language barrier impedes⁵ American efforts to impart this vital lesson.

Lieutenant⁶ Colonel Percy Dunigan oversees⁷ Afghan pilot training at Kandahar.

"There's a lot of technical terms in aviation and getting those translated properly and getting transmitted to them in a timely manner, especially when in flight, is a huge challenge. I try to learn a little of their language to take away some of that stress and confusion," he said.  "But when you're trying to deal with technical terms and processes on the aircraft, there's no substitute for speaking the same language."

In Logar province, a U.S. Army battalion⁸ is paired with an Afghan battalion. The Americans mostly handle the complex missions. Afghan troops usually get simpler assignments, such as staffing road checkpoints.

Staff Sgt. Donald Coleman visits an Afghan position to make sure the troops are doing their jobs. The Afghans complain of equipment and manpower shortages.

"It always goes well when we're here," said Staff Sergeant⁹ Coleman.  "It's when we leave … I kind of understand. Their complaints or issues or concerns are definitely warranted. Nothing in Afghanistan happens in a day or as quick as it would in the U.S."

A few miles away, more problems as American military police try to show the Afghans how to conduct vehicle searches on short notice.

Seeming not to understand, the Afghans wave cars past the checkpoint without searching any of them. U.S. Army 2nd Lieutenant Gregory Avant abandons the first checkpoint and, after additional instruction, tells the police to start over fresh at another position.

"They're doing better here than at the last," he explained.  "They're starting to understand what the intent of the checkpoint is all about."

 

1 aviators   

飞机驾驶员，飞行员( aviator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Analysis on Sickness Status of 1149 Aviators during Recuperation. 飞行员1149例疗养期间患病情况分析。
• In America the whole scale is too big, except for aviators. 在美国整个景象的比例都太大了，不过对飞行员来说是个例外。

2 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

3 warfare   

n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突

参考例句：

• He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
• Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。

4 elusive   

adj.难以表达(捉摸)的；令人困惑的；逃避的

参考例句：

• Try to catch the elusive charm of the original in translation.翻译时设法把握住原文中难以捉摸的风韵。
• Interpol have searched all the corners of the earth for the elusive hijackers.国际刑警组织已在世界各地搜查在逃的飞机劫持者。

5 impedes   

阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• High packing density greatly impedes the cooling of the array. 高存贮密度很不利于阵列的散热。
• The inflexibility of the country's labor market seriously impedes its economic recovery. 该国劳工市场缺乏灵活性，这严重阻碍了它的经济恢复。

6 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

7 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

8 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

9 sergeant   

n.警官，中士

参考例句：

• His elder brother is a sergeant.他哥哥是个警官。
• How many stripes are there on the sleeve of a sergeant?陆军中士的袖子上有多少条纹？