VOA标准英语2011--bels Defend NATO After Errant Strikes

（单词翻译）

 Libyan Rebels Defend NATO After Errant Strikes

Libya's rebel military is defending NATO after airstrikes killed a number of Libyan civilians². The show of support follows Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's condemnation³ of the alliance as murderers.
A rebel military spokesman called NATO a legitimate⁴ force that is doing its job, carrying out the United Nations mandate⁵ to protect Libyan civilians.
Colonel Ahmed Bani argued that anyone who speaks differently about the alliance or blames them for any shortcomings is against the freedom of the Libyan people. Operating from a United Nations mandate to protect Libyans, NATO's air operation has been a linchpin for the rebels seeking to oust⁶ Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
Listen to Elizabeth Arrott's debriefer⁷ with Susan Yackee about the current situation in Libyan rebel stronghold Benghazi:
NATO's mission has come under increased scrutiny⁸ in recent days, as strikes Sunday and Monday claimed the lives of several civilians, including children, in the west of the country.
Last week, alliance aircraft mistakenly fired on a rebel column in Brega, in the east. NATO expressed regret for the loss of civilian¹ life.
In an audio message broadcast late Wednesday, Gadhafi condemned⁹ the strikes, saying NATO was killing¹⁰ "our children and grandchildren."
The Libyan government has repeatedly accused the alliance of deliberately¹¹ targeting civilians, a charge NATO has called "outrageous¹²."
Rebel spokesman Bani, addressing reporters in Benghazi Thursday, laid the blame for the recent deaths on Gadhafi, saying his attempt to cling to power by any means is the reason for the casualties.
Bani added his condolences for those killed, saying whoever dies, on either side, is Libyan.
The rebels' defense¹³ of the campaign comes as Italy seeks a halt in the fighting to provide a safe corridor for humanitarian¹⁴ aid. The call was reportedly echoed by Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa, quoted in British media as arguing the time is right for a political solution.
France rejected the suggestion, with a foreign ministry¹⁵ spokesman saying the coalition¹⁶ must step up its pressure on Gadhafi. The official said a halt in the air campaign, now it its fourth month, would only give government forces time to regroup.
Meanwhile, International Criminal Court judges are scheduled to decide next week whether Gadhafi will face arrest for crimes against humanity. The court announced on Thursday that a hearing will take place in The Hague on Monday.