VOA标准英语2009年-US Lawmakers Stress Need for Afghanistan Strate

U.S. lawmakers just back from Afghanistan say the United States and its NATO allies must have a clearer strategy to stabilize¹ the country and fight resurgent Taliban forces and al-Qaida. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats³ in the delegation⁴ spoke⁵ to reporters on Capitol Hill, saying Afghanistan's government also needs anti-corruption⁶ reforms.

The lawmakers agree that while U.S. troops are doing the best they can in Afghanistan, a solution lies not with military force, but with Afghan government reforms and regional cooperation.
　
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi (l) and Representative Rosa DeLauro, 23 Feb 2009

Pelosi says the 17,000 U.S. troop increase ordered by President Obama is aimed at eliminating a resurgent Taliban and ensuring Afghanistan does not again become a launching point for terrorist attacks.

But she says progress also will depend on reducing corruption in the Afghan government.

"We need a [military] force tailored in size to achieve a specific, clearly defined objective, improved governance," said Nancy Pelosi. "Any strategy must address systemic corruption within the Afghan government and crack down on drug trafficking."

The regional challenge, Pelosi adds, involves not only Pakistan, but also India, China, Iran, Russia and other nations interested in seeing stability return to Afghanistan as the United States seeks to improve the joint⁷ effort with NATO.

The U.S. congressional delegation also visited NATO ally Italy. House Democratic Caucus⁸ Chairman John Larson describes the message he and other lawmakers had for NATO officials.

"We were very clear with our allies how we not only seek their help, and we're pleased with the response certainly that we heard from Italy, but also that America cannot go it alone and [how the United States is] skeptical⁹ sometimes of those who would see us twist in the wind alone, we made it very clear that we are looking forward to their commitment," said John Larson.

House Democrat² Rosa DeLauro says the United States and its allies are at a pivotal moment in efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and fight terrorism.

"Any successful strategy must include an effective partnership¹⁰ going forward with our NATO allies," said Rosa DeLauro. "We cannot go back to failed policy which got us here."

Democratic Representative Ed Markey says decisions coming out of the Obama administration review of Afghanistan must be aimed at creating a comprehensive strategy.

"It's clear that there has not been a strategy," said Ed Markey. "We are 7.5 years late in putting together a comprehensive strategy."

At Monday's news conference on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Pelosi was asked about concerns that, as Newsweek magazine recently put it, "Afghanistan could become President Obama's Vietnam."

Pelosi said the impression she has received from the Chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Michael Mullen, is that the U.S. troop increase is not the beginning of an escalation¹¹ in Afghanistan, adding that she believes President Obama's decisions will be effective.

"What President Obama is going to do in Afghanistan is not going to be irrelevant," she said. "It's going to be decisive, and it's going to get the job done."

At the White House on Monday, presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs noted¹² that the Obama administration still has some time to go in its 60 day review of Afghanistan policy, which he noted includes an examination of military force structure.

In a step to encourage bipartisan cooperation when Congress assesses expected Obama administration decisions, Speaker Pelosi announced a series of closed-door briefings for Democrats and Republicans.

These classified meetings would be held in the House [of Representatives] chamber¹³ and involve Defense¹⁴ Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and other top administration officials.

1 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 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》

4 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

5 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。

6 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。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 caucus   

n.秘密会议；干部会议；v.（参加）干部开会议

参考例句：

• This multi-staged caucus takes several months.这个多级会议常常历时好几个月。
• It kept the Democratic caucus from fragmenting.它也使得民主党的核心小组避免了土崩瓦解的危险。

9 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

10 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。

11 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

14 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。