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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
America’s national intelligence chief says North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons. The statement contradicts President Donald Trump1’s claim of progress on denuclearization.
Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats spoke2 to members of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.
He said “we currently assess that North Korea will seek to retain its WMD (weapons of mass destruction) capabilities3 and is unlikely to completely give up its nuclear weapons and production capability4 because its leaders ultimately view nuclear weapons as critical to regime survival.”
Trump and Kim met in Singapore last June. The two promised to work toward the complete denuclearization of the divided Korean Peninsula. But progress has been limited.
The U.S. has demanded full information from North Korea about its nuclear and missile sites. North Korea is seeking an end to economic restrictions5 against it. The government also wants a peace treaty to officially end the Korean War.
Trump is planning a second meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February. Trump met with North Korea’s nuclear issues negotiator Kim Yong Chol on January 18. He said afterwards that the two sides had made “a lot of progress” on denuclearization.
Iran and Islamic State
Coats met with the Senate to present the yearly Worldwide Threat Assessment6 of the U.S. Intelligence Committee. U.S. Central Intelligence Agency Director Gina Haspel, and Federal Bureau of Investigation7 Director Christopher Wray were also there.
Coats told the committee that Iran “is not currently undertaking8 the key nuclear weapons-development activities.” Iran had agreed to give up its nuclear activities in exchange for trade and investment from the West.
Last year, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal negotiated earlier under President Barack Obama. Trump called it “the worst deal ever.” And Iran is threatening to build up its nuclear activities if the country does not gain from the promised trade and investment.
The report also said the Islamic State group “remains a terrorist and insurgent9 threat” inside Iraq. The terrorist group also operated in Syria where Trump has ordered a full withdrawal10 of American troops.
When asked for her assessment, CIA Director Gina Haspel said “They’re still dangerous.” She added that they still command “thousands of fighters in Iraq and Syria.”
Russia and China
Coats also spoke of Russia and China seeking to expand their reach around the world. He said, “Moscow’s relationship with Beijing is closer than it’s been in many decades.”
The intelligence report warned about Russia. U.S. intelligence agencies found last year that Russia had interfered11 in the 2016 presidential election to help Trump.
Coats told the committee that Russia and perhaps other countries will likely use social media and other means to influence the 2020 U.S. presidential election.
Words in This Story
contradict - v. to say the opposite
assess - v. to make a judgement about something
retain - v. to continue to hold or use
regime - n. a form of government
key - n. something that is necessary
decade - n. a period of 10 years
1 trump | |
n.王牌,法宝;v.打出王牌,吹喇叭 | |
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2 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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3 capabilities | |
n.能力( capability的名词复数 );可能;容量;[复数]潜在能力 | |
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4 capability | |
n.能力;才能;(pl)可发展的能力或特性等 | |
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5 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) | |
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6 assessment | |
n.评价;评估;对财产的估价,被估定的金额 | |
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7 investigation | |
n.调查,调查研究 | |
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8 undertaking | |
n.保证,许诺,事业 | |
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9 insurgent | |
adj.叛乱的,起事的;n.叛乱分子 | |
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10 withdrawal | |
n.取回,提款;撤退,撤军;收回,撤销 | |
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11 interfered | |
v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 );调停;妨碍;干涉 | |
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