VOA慢速英語:US Senate Committee Approves Use of Force in Syria

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News.

這里是美國之音慢速英語新聞報道。

This week, a United States Senate committee voted in support of a possible American military strike against Syria. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a proposed resolution by a vote of 10 to seven. The resolution gives President Barack Obama power to take military action against Syria because the United States says the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians. The resolution calls for limited U.S. action lasting no more than 90 days. It does not permit the use of American ground troops in Syria.

本周，美國參議院一個委員會投票支持美國對敘利亞進行可能的軍事打擊。美國參議院外交關系委員會以10：7的票數(shù)批準了這項擬議的決議。該決議賦予了奧巴馬總統(tǒng)對敘利亞采取軍事行動的權力，因為美國稱敘利亞政府對平民使用化學武器。該決議要求美國采取為期不超過90天的有限軍事行動，且不允許在敘利亞使用美國地面部隊。

The resolution now goes to the full Senate. The House of Representatives must also vote on it.

該決議現(xiàn)在提交到了參議院進行全體表決。眾議院也將對此投票。

The Senate committee vote came less than a week after United Nations chemical weapons inspectors left Syria. U.N. officials sent the inspection team to investigate an attack that took place 10 days earlier. American officials say more than 1,400 people were killed in the attack, near Damascus.

該參議院委員會表決是在聯(lián)合國化學武器核查人員離開敘利亞不到一周的時間內。聯(lián)合國官員派出核查小組調查十天前發(fā)生的一起襲擊。美國官員表示，在大馬士革附近發(fā)生的這起襲擊造成了1400多人死亡。

The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denies using chemical weapons. It says Syrian rebels used them against government soldiers.

敘利亞阿薩德政府否認使用化學武器。它表示是敘利亞反對派使用化學武器打擊政府軍。

Last Saturday, President Obama spoke to Americans and the world about Syria. He said U.S. intelligence is clear that “well over 1,000 people” were killed -- gassed to death by their own government. He denounced what he called the worst chemical weapons attack of the 21st century.

上周六，奧巴馬總統(tǒng)向美國和世界人民談及敘利亞。他表示，美國情報部門明確指出“遠遠超過1000人死亡”--他們是被政府釋放的毒氣毒死的。他譴責了這起他所謂的21世紀最嚴重的化學武器襲擊事件。

President Obama and some leading lawmakers have expressed strong support for military strikes against Syria. But a recent study found that 59 percent of Americans questioned oppose the idea.

奧巴馬總統(tǒng)和一些主要國會議員強烈支持對敘利亞展開軍事打擊。但最近的一項調查發(fā)現(xiàn)，59%被調查的美國人反對這一想法。

Christopher Hill is a former U.S. ambassador to Iraq and a former special representative to Kosovo. He supports limited military action against Syria. He says the world needs to send a strong signal that anyone who uses chemical weapons will be punished.

克里斯托弗·希爾(Christopher Hill)是前任美國駐伊拉克大使和前任科索沃特別代表。他支持對敘利亞采取有限的軍事行動。他說，世界需要發(fā)出一個強烈信號，任何人使用化學武器都將受到懲罰。

“But the problem is we don’t have an overall way forward on Syria. People are out there fighting in Syria, either on Assad’s forces or against Assad, because they have no idea what the future of the country is going to hold and therefore they feel that in order to safeguard their future, they need to fight.”

希爾先生說，“但問題是我們在敘利亞問題上沒有全面解決途徑。人們在敘利亞奮戰(zhàn)，不論是政府軍還是反政府軍。因為他們不知道敘利亞的未來如何，所以他們覺得，為了保障他們的未來就得打仗。”

Retired U.S. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni agrees with Mr. Hill. General Zinni headed “Operation Desert Fox,” a series of strikes against Iraq in 1998. He says American military action will strengthen rebel forces allied with al-Qaida.

退役美國海軍陸戰(zhàn)隊將軍安東尼·津尼(Anthony Zinni)贊同希爾先生的意見。津尼將軍領導了1998年打擊伊拉克的一系列戰(zhàn)爭--“沙漠之狐行動”。他表示，美國的軍事行動將加強與基地組織結盟的叛軍的力量。

“Any strikes on Assad weaken him. When you weaken him, you strengthen the opposition. Those extremists are also part of the opposition.”

津尼將軍說：“任何對阿薩德的打擊都會削弱他的實力。而當你削弱阿薩德的實力，就加強了反對派的實力。那些極端分子也是反對派的一部分。”

Some experts say a U.S. military strike might incite the Shi’ite militant group Hezbollah to attack Western targets or Israel. Others say the Syrian military might use more chemical weapons against rebels and civilians.

一些專家說，美國的軍事打擊可能會煽動什葉派激進組織真主黨攻擊西方目標或以色列。另一些人說，敘利亞軍隊可能會使用化學武器對付反政府武裝和平民。

General Zinni says the situation is like a theatrical production.

津尼將軍說現(xiàn)狀就像是一出戲劇作品。

“Once Assad goes -- when, and if -- this could even be a greater mess than it is now. I mean, this civil war isn’t over because it will have an ‘Act Two’ to it.”

津尼將軍說，“一旦阿薩德下臺，可能會比現(xiàn)在更為混亂。我的意思是說，這場內戰(zhàn)并未結束，因為還有第二場。”

The former general says that “act” could see Syrian opposition groups fighting each other after President Assad is gone.

津尼將軍說的第二場可以看作是敘利亞各反對派在阿薩德倒臺后互相爭斗。