VOA标准英语2016--美国专家怀疑俄罗斯黑客攻击美国政治体系

（单词翻译）

Politicians, Experts Suspect Russia of Hacking¹ US Political System 美国专家怀疑俄罗斯黑客攻击美国政治体系

WASHINGTON — 

The controversy² still rages over Russia's possible hacking into computer systems used by American political entities³. Defense⁴ Secretary Ash Carter has warned Russia not to try to interfere⁵ with the U.S. general election in November. Yet Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump⁶ says he doubts that Russia is involved.

The election -- the heart of U.S. democracy -- is at the center of the debate. But before we tell you how ... a little background.

The system is decentralized. Votes are collected where people live, and then each state sets up its own security, in its own electoral system, to tabulate⁷ its votes. This method is intended to reduce fraud.

So imagine the shock when the FBI told Arizona election officials that Russians had hacked⁸ into their system. Experts also blame Russia for hacking into Democratic party emails.

A former U.S. ambassador to Georgia and Kazakhstan, William Courtney, writes that Russia will be seen as a "rogue⁹ elephant" if it continues its disruptions.

"Great powers have to work with each other to accomplish objectives. So the United States and China are working together on the global warming issue. A great power can't exist in isolation," said Courtney.

Republican presidential nominee¹⁰ Donald Trump told an interviewer on a Russian TV network that he doubts Russia was involved, and Russian President Vladimir Putin denies any connection to the cyberattacks.

Democratic Senator Ben Cardin believes any attacks would have to have been approved by key leaders.

"You have to believe that at the highest levels, that these strategies have been agreed to," said Cardin.

The worry now for Republican Senator Bob Corker is of any Russian tampering¹¹ in the general election, which will choose the next U.S. president.

"If they can demonstrate that ... maybe they affected¹² it, obviously that creates distrust in the outcome, [and] instability, so that’s a big win for them," said Corker.

Remember the separate state electoral systems? Courtney suggests the Department of Homeland Security should protect election systems as part of the nation's "critical infrastructures¹³."

"That would mean that the U.S. government will be actively¹⁴ involved to encourage those organizations that have good cyber hygiene¹⁵, to have good anti-virus protections and other things," said Courtney.

But that may be too late to do that for the presidential election, now less than 60 days away.