2006年VOA标准英语-US Lawmakers, State Department Clash Over Aircr
时间:2019-01-12 作者:英语课 分类:2006年VOA标准英语(七月)
By Dan Robinson
Washington
21 July 2006
A dispute between the U.S. Congress and the Bush administration over a plan to sell F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan spilled into the open Thursday during a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill. Some lawmakers say they were not properly consulted on key aspects of the plan, and raised concerns ranging from technology proliferation to political stability and human rights in Pakistan.
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President Bush authorized 1 the sale of F-16 aircraft to Pakistan in 2005, reversing a policy in effect for at least 15 years against such transfers because of nuclear concerns.
India has reiterated 2 its opposition 3, describing the sale as not conducive 4 to improving ties between India and Pakistan.
Lawmakers are furious with what they see as inadequate 5 State Department consultation 6 with Congress.
House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde accuses the State Department of ignoring Congress' role and violating understandings on congressional notification regarding arms sales. "It represents a deliberate and we believe, wholly inappropriate maneuver 7 by the State Department to diminish the Congress' lawful 8 oversight 9 of arms sales," he said.
Pakistan would receive 18 F-16 jets under the five-billion dollar deal, with an option to purchase 18 more.
But primary among lawmaker's concerns is their belief that the Pakistani government cannot ensure technology will not fall into the hands of China or others.
Senior committee Democrat 10 Tom Lantos agrees with administration justifications 11 that the sale will help Pakistan meet legitimate 12 security needs, but underlines his concern. "Pakistani export controls are so lax as to have allowed A.Q. Khan to provide the crown jewels of Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program to states such as North Korea and Iran. The administration's plan is inadequate to safeguard U.S. technology properly and to protect U.S. national security against espionage 13 and compromise in Pakistan," he said.
The hearing was scheduled for last week but postponed 14 amid often tense behind-the-scenes negotiations 15 with the State Department. A similar Senate hearing was also postponed.
Lawmakers accused the State Department of arrogance 16 in how it handled notification, with Lantos alleging 17 what he called a calculated attempt to prevent Congress from trying to alter the current security plan for the planes.
John Hillen, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs denies that, and defends the security plan. "The administration very carefully considered the potential risks of diversion of U.S. technology and equipment and we are taking appropriate steps to minimize those risks. Furthermore, the government of Pakistan, including the Pakistan Air Force has been extremely cooperative in responding to our concerns on the security of aircraft and technology," he said.
The State Department position that it did nothing wrong in consulting with Congress sparked this angry exchange between Hillen and Democratic Congressman 18 Brad Sherman:
HILLEN: "I have taken this process quite seriously as a custodian 19 of the public trust."
SHERMAN: "Your job is to disenfranchise our constituents 20 and to make sure that nothing that comes from Congress affects this deal in any way and you've done it spectacularly well."
Republican Dan Burton shares the worries about security, but says Pakistan's role in the war on terrorism justifies 21 the sale of F-16s. "We should show some support for Pakistan with this sale," he said.
Another Republican, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, disagrees. "The F-16 is an offensive weapons system. It can drop nuclear weapons. And it is designed to make war on countries that have sophisticated air forces, not the Taleban, not radical 22 Islam," he said.
Assistant Secretary Hillen said the F-16s for Pakistan will not be capable of carrying nuclear weapons, although he acknowledged they could be modified.
In a statement accompanying notification to Congress, the Pentagon said the Pakistani purchase would "not significantly reduce India's quantitative 23 or qualitative 24 military advantage" and that it would neither affect the regional balance of power nor introduce a new technology in the region.
- An administrative order is valid if authorized by a statute.如果一个行政命令得到一个法规的认可那么这个命令就是有效的。
- "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯,我一定要知道你的休假日期,"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后,波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。
- 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。
- This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
- Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。
- The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
- She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。
- The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
- The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。
- All the fighters landed safely on the airport after the military maneuver.在军事演习后,所有战斗机都安全降落在机场上。
- I did get her attention with this maneuver.我用这个策略确实引起了她的注意。
- It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
- We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。
- I consider this a gross oversight on your part.我把这件事看作是你的一大疏忽。
- Your essay was not marked through an oversight on my part.由于我的疏忽你的文章没有打分。
- 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。
- If he a vulgar person, she does not have justifications for him. 如果他是个低级趣味的人,她早就不会理他了。
- It depends on their effect on competition and possible justifications. 这则取决于它们对于竞争的影响和可能存在的正当抗辩理由。
- Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
- That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。
- The authorities have arrested several people suspected of espionage.官方已经逮捕了几个涉嫌从事间谍活动的人。
- Neither was there any hint of espionage in Hanley's early life.汉利的早期生活也毫无进行间谍活动的迹象。
- The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
- The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。
- negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
- Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。
- His arrogance comes out in every speech he makes.他每次讲话都表现得骄傲自大。
- Arrogance arrested his progress.骄傲阻碍了他的进步。
- His reputation was blemished by a newspaper article alleging he'd evaded his taxes. 由于报上一篇文章声称他曾逃税,他的名誉受到损害。
- This our Peeress declined as unnecessary, alleging that her cousin Thornhill's recommendation would be sufficient. 那位贵人不肯,还说不必,只要有她老表唐希尔保荐就够了。
- He related several anecdotes about his first years as a congressman.他讲述自己初任议员那几年的几则轶事。
- The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics.这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。
- Benitez believes his custodian is among the top five in world football.贝尼特斯坚信他的门将是当今足坛最出色的五人之一。
- When his father died his uncle became his legal custodian.他父亲死后,他叔叔成了他的法定监护人。
- She has the full support of her constituents. 她得到本区选民的全力支持。
- Hydrogen and oxygen are the constituents of water. 氢和氧是水的主要成分。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Their frequency of use both justifies and requires the memorization. 频繁的使用需要记忆,也促进了记忆。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
- In my judgement the present end justifies the means. 照我的意见,只要目的正当,手段是可以不计较的。
- The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
- She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。
- He said it was only a quantitative difference.他说这仅仅是数量上的差别。
- We need to do some quantitative analysis of the drugs.我们对药物要进行定量分析。
- There are qualitative differences in the way children and adults think.孩子和成年人的思维方式有质的不同。
- Arms races have a quantitative and a qualitative aspects.军备竞赛具有数量和质量两个方面。