VOA慢速英语:Obama Sets Plan for 'Leaner' Military

短语讲解：

1. This week, President Obama announced a new defense plan based on budget cuts in the coming years.

base on使建立在…基础上,立足
例句：Action should be based on solid facts.
行动应有确凿的事实为依据。

2. As I made clear in Australia, we'll be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of this critical region.

at the expense of在损失〔损坏〕某事物的情况下
例句：He finished the job at the expense of his health.
他完成了那件工作, 但却损害了健康。

3. We're going to continue investing in our critical partnerships and alliances, including NATO, which has demonstrated time and again -- most recently in Libya -- that it's a force multiplier.

invest in在…上投资, 在…投入(时间、精力等)
例句：He invested his money in shares.
他把钱投资在股票上。

4. We’ll continue to get rid of outdated Cold War-era systems so that we can invest in the capabilities we need for the future, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; counterterrorism; countering weapons of mass destruction; and the ability to operate in environments where adversaries try to deny us access.

get rid of摆脱
例句：He can't get rid of the cold.
他的感冒老是好不了。

5. He said this, in some ways, restricted thinking about the future.

think about考虑…; 捉摸…
例句：Elinor is thinking about emigrating to the United States.
埃莉诺正在考虑移居美国。

6. For some defense experts, including Michael O'Hanlon at the Brookings Institution in Washington, the new strategic plan makes sense.

make sense是明智的, 是合情合理的
例句：It would make sense to leave early.
还是早点走好。

7. Enemies who perceive us unable to deal with more than one problem at a time may decide to collaborate and work in a simultaneous fashion that will simply overtax us.

deal with应付, 处理; 对待
例句：He must deal with many difficulties.
他必须应付许多困难。

8. However, the military may face more than five hundred billion dollars in additional cuts as Congress and the president seek to reduce the federal deficit.

seek to企图，试图; 设法
例句：I sought to change her mind.
我试图改变她的心意。