Rights Groups Question U.S. Drone Strikes-英语听力

[00:03.03]From VOA Learning English, [00:06.46]this is In the News. [00:08.51]This week, [00:09.79]two human rights groups accused [00:12.97]the United States of killing more civilians [00:16.57]in drone strikes than American officials say. [00:21.08]The groups say many of the attacks [00:24.03]appeared to be illegal under international law. [00:29.15]Human Rights Watch investigated [00:31.75]six drone strikes in Yemen since 2009. [00:36.81]It found that at least 57 civilians died in the attacks. [00:43.59]Letta Tayler studies terrorist acts [00:46.95]and anti-terrorism efforts for the group. [00:50.70]"Two of the six cases that we examined in my report [00:54.13]show that the U.S. indiscriminately killed civilians. [00:58.24]This is a clear violation of international law." [01:01.50]The report says some drone strikes violated the rules [01:06.06]set by President Obama to justify such attacks. [01:10.86]The president has said the unmanned aircraft [01:15.01]can be used when responding [01:17.58]to an immediate threat to the United States. [01:21.25]He also said they can be used [01:24.32]when there is no hope of capturing a targeted terrorist, [01:28.98]and "near certainty" that civilians will not be harmed. [01:34.30]At the White House, [01:36.51]Press Secretary Jay Carney rejected accusations [01:40.32]that drone strikes violated international law. [01:45.14]"To the extent these reports claim that the U.S. [01:48.05]has acted contrary to international law, [01:50.07]we would strongly disagree. [01:51.92]The administration has repeatedly emphasized [01:54.37]the extraordinary care that we take [01:56.12]to make sure counterterrorism actions [01:58.18]are in accordance with all applicable law." [02:00.73]Amnesty International examined [02:03.14]nine American drone attacks in Pakistan. [02:06.94]It says it found evidence that more than 30 civilians [02:12.36]were killed in four of the strikes. [02:15.27]A United Nations report has estimated [02:18.72]that drone strikes in Pakistan killed 400 civilians [02:24.16]over the past 10 years. [02:26.81]Both Amnesty and Human Rights Watch [02:30.44]are calling for more congressional supervision of [02:34.20]the Central Intelligence Agency and the Defense Department. [02:38.96]The first American drone attack in Pakistan took place in 2004. [02:46.02]Many observers believe there was a secret agreement [02:50.03]in which Pakistan privately approved of drone strikes [02:55.20]but publicly condemned them. [02:57.87]Pakistani officials say they are strongly opposed to the attacks. [03:04.29]They condemn them as a violation of their country's sovereignty [03:09.05]– the right to be free from interference by another country. [03:13.82]They also say the attacks are fueling militancy in Pakistan. [03:20.70]North Waziristan has long been considered [03:24.62]a center for al-Qaida militants and the Haqqani network. [03:30.00]That group has been blamed [03:32.90]for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan. [03:37.28]The United States has long pressured the Pakistani military [03:42.64]to move against extremists in North Waziristan. [03:47.40]However, some officials believe [03:49.95]that state control has almost disappeared in the territory. [03:55.88]On Wednesday, [03:57.78]President Obama and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif [04:02.79]met at the White House. [04:04.90]They discussed cooperation in fighting terrorism [04:09.10]and concerns about what the president called [04:12.62]"senseless violence and extremism" in Pakistan. [04:17.88]Afterward they spoke to reporters. [04:20.24]Prime Minister Sharif said the two countries [04:23.79]will continue to increase cooperation against terrorists. [04:29.42]But he also called for no more drone attacks. [04:34.24]"Pakistan and the United States have a strong, [04:37.25]ongoing counterterrorism cooperation. [04:40.10]We have agreed to further strengthen this cooperation. [04:42.61]I also brought up the issue of drones in our meeting, [04:45.68]emphasizing the need for an end to such strikes." [04:48.73]And that's In the News, from VOA Learning English. [04:54.78]I'm Steve Ember.