VOA标准英语2009年-CIA Chief Makes High-Profile Recruiting Tr

By Jeff Swicord
Dearborn, Michigan
18 September 2009

CIA Director Leon Panetta told Arab-American and Muslim leaders this week to join efforts to reduce the threat of terrorism in the U.S. Speaking in the heart of Michigan's large Middle Eastern community, he said the country is safer than it was when it was attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, though al-Qaida still remains¹ a threat. The speech is one of the CIA's highest-profile recruiting efforts aimed at Arab-Americans and Muslims, as the agency seeks to boost Arabic and other languages it deems critical to its work.

 
Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta
Central Intelligence Agency Director Leon Panetta attending iftar, the evening meal that breaks the fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The CIA this year announced a five-year plan to boost fluency² in Arabic and other languages within the agency. Panetta aims to raise foreign language proficiency³ inside the CIA from less than a third to at least half of all analysts⁴ and intelligence operatives. Special interest has been placed on languages such as Dari and Pashto, the primary languages spoken in Afghanistan.

"The reason I am here is because I want to reach out to the Arab community, and reach out to the Muslim community and see what we can do to help bring that community into the CIA," Panetta said.

Dearborn, Michigan, is a suburb of Detroit, the hometown of automaker Henry Ford⁵ and the Ford Motor Company. It is also one of the largest Arab communities in the U.S. More than thirty percent of the population is Arab-American, the majority are of Lebanese and Iraqi heritage.

In his speech to the invitation only crowd, Director Panetta said the CIA needs officers who can operate credibly⁶ and effectively in any society. "That means they need to have language fluency. And a deep understanding of local culture," he said.

He believes tapping into the knowledge and talent of what he calls America's heritage communities, like the Arab community in Dearborn, is the best way to do that.

"We have to reflect the face of this nation, and the face of the world," he added.

But, recruiting in the Arab-American community has had its problems. After 9/11 many felt they were unfairly stereotyped⁷ as terrorists by U.S. law enforcement and immigration authorities.

We visited a cafe in Dearborn and asked patrons if it was a good idea for more Arab-Americans to join the CIA.

Nancy Jaafar, of Lebanese heritage, is a school psychologist.

"In theory, it is a good thing," she said. "But, I think there is kind of a trust component⁸ there... and not in the end of the Americans but more in the end of the Arabs themselves, in terms of where they would fit in and how they would be received."

Community leaders also say there has been dissatisfaction with policies such as the war in Iraq, allegations of torture such as water boarding and extrajudicial detentions⁹.

Osama Siblani is president of the Arab American Political Action Committee based in Dearborn.

"And when the CIA is implementing¹⁰ such policies, then it becomes a double jeopardy¹¹ issue for people in the community," he says. "How could you accept working for the CIA when the CIA is implementing the rules and regulations and policies that are completely opposite to what you want?"

Still, there is a strong sense of patriotism¹² among other Arab-Americans in the Dearborn area. Henry Medina, the CIA's midwest regional recruiter says applications in the area have increased over the last few years.

"We are finding much more success working here in kind of non-traditional venues¹³ such as this," Medina says, "outside of the career fairs kind of confines if you will."

Director Panetta wants to loosen security clearance¹⁴ restrictions¹⁵ for employees with relatives in Iran or Lebanon making it easier for them to join the agency. His appearance here was well received. Many felt it was a long overdue¹⁶ sign the Arab community is an accepted part of the American fabric¹⁷.

 

1 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。

2 fluency   

n.流畅，雄辩，善辩

参考例句：

• More practice will make you speak with greater fluency.多练习就可以使你的口语更流利。
• Some young children achieve great fluency in their reading.一些孩子小小年纪阅读已经非常流畅。

3 proficiency   

n.精通，熟练，精练

参考例句：

• He plied his trade and gained proficiency in it.他勤习手艺，技术渐渐达到了十分娴熟的地步。
• How do you think of your proficiency in written and spoken English?你认为你的书面英语和口语熟练程度如何？

4 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。

5 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

6 credibly   

ad.可信地；可靠地

参考例句：

• I am credibly informed that. 由可靠方面听说。
• An effective management software ensures network to run credibly. 一个高效的网管软件是网络运行的可靠保证。

7 stereotyped   

adj.(指形象、思想、人物等)模式化的

参考例句：

• There is a sameness about all these tales. They're so stereotyped -- all about talented scholars and lovely ladies. 这些书就是一套子，左不过是些才子佳人，最没趣儿。
• He is the stereotyped monster of the horror films and the adventure books, and an obvious (though not perhaps strictly scientific) link with our ancestral past. 它们是恐怖电影和惊险小说中的老一套的怪物，并且与我们的祖先有着明显的（虽然可能没有科学的）联系。

8 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

9 detentions   

拘留( detention的名词复数 )； 扣押； 监禁； 放学后留校

参考例句：

• Teachers may assign detention tasks as they wish and some detentions have been actually dangerous. 老师可能随心所欲指派关禁闭的形式，有些禁闭事实上很危险。
• Intimidation, beatings and administrative detentions are often enough to prevent them from trying again. 恐吓，拷打和行政拘留足以阻止请愿者二次进京的脚步。

10 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

11 jeopardy   

n.危险；危难

参考例句：

• His foolish behaviour may put his whole future in jeopardy.他愚蠢的行为可能毁了他一生的前程。
• It is precisely at this juncture that the boss finds himself in double jeopardy.恰恰在这个关键时刻，上司发现自己处于进退两难的境地。

12 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

13 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

14 clearance   

n.净空；许可(证)；清算；清除，清理

参考例句：

• There was a clearance of only ten centimetres between the two walls.两堵墙之间只有十厘米的空隙。
• The ship sailed as soon as it got clearance. 那艘船一办好离港手续立刻启航了。

15 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

16 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

17 fabric   

n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织

参考例句：

• The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
• I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。