VOA标准英语2009年-Pakistan Battles Militants, Political

Analysts¹ foresee tough year ahead on both fronts

Sean Maroney | Islamabad 16 December 2009

 
At the start of 2009, Pakistan's government pursued a peace plan with Taliban militants² in and around the Swat Valley, once a holiday destination.

U.S. President Barack Obama has made Pakistan a key part of his new strategy in Afghanistan.  But as the U.S. and NATO battle Taliban militants in Afghanistan, Pakistan is facing its own challenges.  Taliban insurgents³ have launched bomb attacks across the country.  Meanwhile, a political scandal threatens to undermine the government of President Asif Ali Zardari. 

At the start of 2009, Pakistan's government pursued a peace plan with Taliban militants in and around the Swat Valley, once a holiday destination.

But the Taliban broke the terms of the deal and advanced in the greater Swat Valley to within 60 kilometers of the capital, Islamabad.  Taliban fighters conducted public beatings and also closed down some girls' schools.

Education Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani said the government had to respond. "So we have no other option but to control the situation through our law enforcing agencies," he said.

As Pakistani troops descended⁴ on the Swat Valley, about two and a half million people fled the violence. 

By mid-2009, the United States commended Pakistan's military for significant gains in Swat and surrounding districts.

"And right now, finally, the Pakistani army is engaged in a very significant military offensive against the Taliban," Richard Holbrooke, Special US Envoy⁵ to Pakistan and Afghanistan said.

But as U.S. and NATO forces faced a growing Taliban insurgency⁶ in neighboring Afghanistan, Washington pressed Islamabad to do more against militants in the tribal⁷ areas who were crossing into Afghanistan to stage attacks there. 

In October, bomb blasts across Pakistan - on the UN's World food Program in Islamabad, on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and on security forces in Lahore - kept Pakistan's focus on its own territory. 

Days after, the military announced a major offensive in South Waziristan against Taliban militants who claimed responsibility for the attacks.

"Any kind of instability in this region, or in this area, would radiate or affect instability in the other area," Major General Athar Abbas, spokesman for Pakistan's army said.

But Washington's top military commander, Admiral Mike Mullen, tells VOA that Pakistan also needs to target Taliban insurgents, mostly in North Waziristan, who are using sanctuaries⁸ there to attack coalition⁹ forces in Afghanistan.  "It's those Taliban that are killing¹⁰ Americans.  It's those Taliban that are killing Afghans.  It's those Taliban that are killing coalition forces from our allies, so it's going to take pressure on all extremist groups," he stated.

On another front, on December 16,  Pakistan's Supreme¹¹ Court struck down an amnesty decree protecting President Asif Ali Zardari and other senior officials from charges of corruption¹².

Pakistani opposition¹³ groups, reacting to the decision, have been calling for Mr. Zardari's resignation.   

The ruling paves the way to reviving corruption cases pending¹⁴ against the president's close aides and political allies. 

As president, Mr. Zardari is immune from prosecution¹⁵. Some  analysts say the government could be further weakened if corruption cases are reopened against those close to him.

"Political instability is the last thing that can happen in Pakistan because when [a] political crisis occurs, [the] economy goes down.  And these two things are unaffordable when a country is facing a severe terrorist threat," Ishtiaq Ahmad said.

President Zardari recently relinquished¹⁶ some of his powers, including control over Pakistan's nuclear arsenal¹⁷. He handed that to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

2010 looks to be another difficult year for Pakistan, with an ongoing¹⁸ fight against insurgents and court challenges to the country's leaders.

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

4 descended   

a.为...后裔的，出身于...的

参考例句：

• A mood of melancholy descended on us. 一种悲伤的情绪袭上我们的心头。
• The path descended the hill in a series of zigzags. 小路呈连续的之字形顺着山坡蜿蜒而下。

5 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

6 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

7 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。

8 sanctuaries   

n.避难所( sanctuary的名词复数 )；庇护；圣所；庇护所

参考例句：

• The designation of special marine reserves and marine sanctuaries shall be subject to the State Council for approval. 海洋特别保护区、海上自然保护区的确定，须经国务院批准。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• After 1965 he acquiesced when they established sanctuaries on that soil. 1965年以后，他默认了他们在那块土地上建立庇护所。 来自辞典例句

9 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。

10 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。

11 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

12 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。

13 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。

14 pending   

prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的

参考例句：

• The lawsuit is still pending in the state court.这案子仍在州法庭等待定夺。
• He knew my examination was pending.他知道我就要考试了。

15 prosecution   

n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营

参考例句：

• The Smiths brought a prosecution against the organizers.史密斯家对组织者们提出起诉。
• He attempts to rebut the assertion made by the prosecution witness.他试图反驳原告方证人所作的断言。

16 relinquished   

交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃

参考例句：

• She has relinquished the post to her cousin, Sir Edward. 她把职位让给了表弟爱德华爵士。
• The small dog relinquished his bone to the big dog. 小狗把它的骨头让给那只大狗。

17 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

18 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。