VOA标准英语2009-Pentagon Has Video of Afghan Civilian Casualty I

The Pentagon says it has video of the incident in Afghanistan's Farah Province two weeks ago, in which a U.S. air strike apparently¹ killed some Afghan civilians³. But U.S. officials dispute the Afghan government claim that as many as 140 civilians were killed.
　
Kabul University demonstrators hold photos of aftermath of Farah province airstrikes, shout anti-US slogans, 10 May 2009

At a news conference Tuesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell acknowledged that the video exists, and is part of the continuing investigation⁴, but he would not provide details.

"We do have gun camera video that's being analyzed," said Geoff Morrell. "I'm not going to get into descriptions of it beyond what I have said here."

Pessin: "Were bombs put on houses that the Taliban had fled into?"

Morrell: "I'm not going to go beyond where I've gone at this point."
　
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell (2008 file photo)

Morrell was responding to a report by National Public Radio that the video shows Taliban fighters running into private houses, which are then hit by American bombs. That would contradict reports from local residents that the Taliban had fled the village before the air strike, but it could also lend credence⁵ to claims that the air strike killed civilians.

Morrell would only say the U.S. war planes were called in by Afghan troops who needed help during a battle against the Taliban, and that any civilian² casualties were accidental.

"The initial indication from things looks as though the close air support was very measured and that there was a great deal of care to ensure it was proportional to the threat faced by the forces on the ground," he said.

The Pentagon spokesman says the American investigation is being led by a senior officer, and that the work is not yet finished.

On Tuesday, National Public Radio quoted Brigadier General Mark Ryan, who it said was the first U.S. investigator⁶ on the scene, as saying there were some civilian casualties, but so far it appears the Afghan figure of 140 is hugely inflated⁷, and the real number may be closer to 22. U.S. officials say it may be impossible to determine the exact number because no investigative work was done on the bodies, and they were buried quickly after the attack, in keeping with Muslim custom.

Earlier Tuesday, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the new U.S. ambassador, retired⁸ Lieutenant⁹ General Karl Eikenberry, visited Farah Province and met with more than one thousand people at a mosque¹⁰ in the provincial¹¹ capital. Both men apologized for the civilian deaths and pledged renewed efforts to prevent such incidents. U.S. officials also note that Taliban fighters often hide in civilian areas and exaggerate civilian casualties.

At the Pentagon news conference, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell also said the U.S. Senate will begin considering the nominations¹² of the newly assigned U.S. commanders for Afghanistan on June second, and he hopes they will take up their posts soon after that.

Morrell says the new commander, Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal and his new deputy, Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, will have the job of formulating¹³ a new plan to implement¹⁴ military aspects of President Obama's new strategy. The plan the president announced in late April calls for the defeat of the Taliban and al-Qaida, the protection of Afghan civilians and efforts to build Afghan society.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 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。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 credence   

n.信用，祭器台，供桌，凭证

参考例句：

• Don't give credence to all the gossip you hear.不要相信你听到的闲话。
• Police attach credence to the report of an unnamed bystander.警方认为一位不知姓名的目击者的报告很有用。

6 investigator   

n.研究者，调查者，审查者

参考例句：

• He was a special investigator for the FBI.他是联邦调查局的特别调查员。
• The investigator was able to deduce the crime and find the criminal.调查者能够推出犯罪过程并锁定罪犯。

7 inflated   

adj.（价格）飞涨的；（通货）膨胀的；言过其实的；充了气的v.使充气（于轮胎、气球等）( inflate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）膨胀；（使）通货膨胀；物价上涨

参考例句：

• He has an inflated sense of his own importance. 他自视过高。
• They all seem to take an inflated view of their collective identity. 他们对自己的集体身份似乎都持有一种夸大的看法。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

9 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。

10 mosque   

n.清真寺

参考例句：

• The mosque is a activity site and culture center of Muslim religion.清真寺为穆斯林宗教活动场所和文化中心。
• Some years ago the clock in the tower of the mosque got out of order.几年前，清真寺钟楼里的大钟失灵了。

11 provincial   

adj.省的，地方的；n．外省人，乡下人

参考例句：

• City dwellers think country folk have provincial attitudes.城里人以为乡下人思想迂腐。
• Two leading cadres came down from the provincial capital yesterday.昨天从省里下来了两位领导干部。

12 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

13 formulating   

v.构想出( formulate的现在分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese government is formulating nationwide regulations on the control of such chemicals. 目前，中国政府正在制定全国性的易制毒化学品管理条例。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• Because of this, the U.S. has taken further steps in formulating the \"Magellan\" programme. 为此，美国又进一步制定了“麦哲伦”计划。 来自百科语句

14 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。