Outgoing Rumsfeld honored at Pentagon ceremony

时间：2006-12-18 00:23:48

（单词翻译:单击）


Secretary of Defense1 Donald Rumsfeld acknowledges applause after speaking at his farewell ceremony at the Pentagon, Friday, Dec. 15, 2006.
 
Dec. 16 - Architect of the unpopular war in Iraq, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld was praised lavishly2 for his service to the nation Friday as he called on Americans to spend more heavily on defense.

 

President Bush called Rumsfeld "one of America's most skilled, energetic and dedicated4 public servants."

 

"We've been through war together," the president said. "We have shared some of the most challenging moments in our nation's history."

 

"This man knows how to lead and he did," the president said. "And the country is better off for it."

 

Departing after six years in office, Rumsfeld said he felt "a sense of urgency about the real challenges ahead" in a time of terrorism, unstable5 dictators and threats of nuclear proliferation.

 

The attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, awakened6 the world to the existence of a global extremist movement whose adherents7 believe it is their calling to kill Americans and other free people, Rumsfeld said.

 

"Ours is also a world of many friends and allies, but sadly, realistically, friends and allies with declining defense investment and declining capabilities8 and, I would add, as a result, with increasing vulnerabilities," Rumsfeld said. "All of which requires that the United States of America invest more."

 

Bush made no mention of the often-harsh criticism of Rumsfeld — that he was arrogant9, ignored the advice of critics and made many mistakes in his execution of the Iraq war.

 

"Every decision Don Rumsfeld made over the past six years, he always put the troops first, and the troops knew it," Bush said.

 

Rumsfeld was a casualty of growing opposition10 to the war, manifested in the Democrats11' takeover of Congress. Bush announced Rumsfeld's departure the day after Republicans were jolted12 in the November elections.

 

"I've never worked harder for a boss and I've never learned more from one, either," said Vice3 President Dick Cheney, who began his career in politics as an intern13 for Rumsfeld in 1969.

 

Cheney praised Rumsfeld as a man with "near perfect recall. He has the way of asking you the one question you are not prepared for. And apparently14 he does not sleep."

 

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1 defense AxbxB     
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。
2 lavishly VpqzBo     
adv.慷慨地，大方地
参考例句：
  • His house was lavishly adorned.他的屋子装饰得很华丽。
  • The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour.这本书里有大量全彩插图。
3 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
4 dedicated duHzy2     
adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的
参考例句：
  • He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
  • His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。
5 unstable Ijgwa     
adj.不稳定的，易变的
参考例句：
  • This bookcase is too unstable to hold so many books.这书橱很不结实，装不了这么多书。
  • The patient's condition was unstable.那患者的病情不稳定。
6 awakened de71059d0b3cd8a1de21151c9166f9f0     
v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到
参考例句：
  • She awakened to the sound of birds singing. 她醒来听到鸟的叫声。
  • The public has been awakened to the full horror of the situation. 公众完全意识到了这一状况的可怕程度。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 adherents a7d1f4a0ad662df68ab1a5f1828bd8d9     
n.支持者，拥护者( adherent的名词复数 )；党羽；徒子徒孙
参考例句：
  • He is a leader with many adherents. 他是个有众多追随者的领袖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The proposal is gaining more and more adherents. 该建议得到越来越多的支持者。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 capabilities f7b11037f2050959293aafb493b7653c     
n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力
参考例句：
  • He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
  • Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
9 arrogant Jvwz5     
adj.傲慢的，自大的
参考例句：
  • You've got to get rid of your arrogant ways.你这骄傲劲儿得好好改改。
  • People are waking up that he is arrogant.人们开始认识到他很傲慢。
10 opposition eIUxU     
n.反对，敌对
参考例句：
  • 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。
11 democrats 655beefefdcaf76097d489a3ff245f76     
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》
12 jolted 80f01236aafe424846e5be1e17f52ec9     
（使）摇动， （使）震惊( jolt的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • The truck jolted and rattled over the rough ground. 卡车嘎吱嘎吱地在凹凸不平的地面上颠簸而行。
  • She was jolted out of her reverie as the door opened. 门一开就把她从幻想中惊醒。
13 intern 25BxJ     
v.拘禁，软禁；n.实习生
参考例句：
  • I worked as an intern in that firm last summer.去年夏天我在那家商行实习。
  • The intern bandaged the cut as the nurse looked on.这位实习生在护士的照看下给病人包扎伤口。
14 apparently tMmyQ     
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。

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