美国国家公共电台 NPR--Could the decision to send battle tanks to Ukraine shift the tide in the war?

Could the decision to send battle tanks to Ukraine shift the tide in the war?

Transcript¹

NPR's Leila Fadel talks with former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute² about decisions by the U.S. and Germany to send battle tanks to Ukraine, and their likely impact on the war against Russia.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

Russia used missiles to attack Ukraine again this morning. Ukrainian officials say warplanes damaged major infrastructure³, and at least one person was killed. The attack during rush hour in Ukraine came the morning after the U.S. and Germany promised dozens of battle tanks to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion. Germany says it will send Leopards⁴, and the U.S. will deliver Abrams tanks, as National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly on All Things Considered.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)

JOHN KIRBY: This decision was really the culmination⁶ of weeks of diplomatic conversations about, how do we help Ukraine in the fight that we expect them to be in when the winter fades and spring and summer months come?

FADEL: How effective will those tanks be? Let's ask a former U.S. ambassador to NATO and retired⁷ Army Lieutenant⁸ General Douglas Lute. Good morning, Ambassador.

DOUGLAS LUTE: Good morning.

FADEL: So will these tanks make a huge difference in this war?

LUTE: Well, the tanks will tip the balance tactically, that is, on the battlefield over time, not immediately, but perhaps in the months ahead. But what they really do, the contribution of the American tanks - those 30 American tanks unlock the contributions of Germany, Poland and other NATO allies. So in a way, the 30 tanks are a down payment for much bigger contributions by others.

FADEL: So it gives cover for Poland and Germany and others to provide the military aid that they are providing.

LUTE: It does just that.

FADEL: Now, this is a big step for Ukraine's allies. Ukraine's been begging for these tanks for months, and it will be more months before they're deployed⁹. Why are the U.S. and Ukraine's European allies going ahead now?

LUTE: Well, I think several things. First of all, the Ukrainians have proven themselves on the battlefield over the last year capable of pressing back against the Russians - not only defending their territory, but actually recovering ground occupied by the Russians. And now they've reached a point where they're up against the hardest parts of the Russian defense¹⁰ on Ukraine, on Ukrainian territory. So in order to deal with those defenses, Ukraine has to develop an offensive capability¹¹ built around what, in the United States Army, we call a combined arms team. And that's a team that puts together four ingredients - tanks, infantry¹², artillery¹³ and engineers. And so the tanks are a key element of this team.

FADEL: Are they worth, though, the possible Russian reaction? Already this morning we see these attacks in response, possibly.

LUTE: Well, remember that these attacks on Ukrainian civilian¹⁴ infrastructure have been taking place for months...

FADEL: True.

LUTE: ...Before tanks were even in the conversation. So I don't think we should be self-deterred by Russian rhetoric¹⁵. Look, Russia is responsible for the war in Ukraine, and the United States and the 50-some countries that are...

FADEL: Yeah.

LUTE: ...Joining the United States to push back and to support Ukraine are all acting¹⁶ in accordance with the U.N. charter.

FADEL: Now, Ukraine says its missile defense systems were able to shoot down most of the missiles that Russia fired this morning. But since the beginning of the war, Ukrainians have consistently said the danger is in the sky, and they want things. They have a long wish list, including fighter jets. Will NATO send even more military equipment and possibly consider those jets?

LUTE: I think providing tanks is the next logical step. Tanks were at the top of the Ukrainian request list, but just below tanks are fighter aircraft. And I suspect the conversations are going on now inside the United States government but also among NATO allies about taking the next step, which could well involve high-performance aircraft.

FADEL: Now, we spoke⁵ about this a little bit, but Moscow warned that sending these tanks is, quote, "extremely dangerous." What do you take that to mean?

LUTE: Well, they're intended, of course, to be dangerous to the Russian occupiers. But I don't think that there's a rhetoric that we should abide¹⁷ by here. Russia has repeatedly threatened escalation¹⁸ and has been unable or unwilling¹⁹ to do so. The reality is they still occupy sovereign Ukrainian territory.

FADEL: Ambassador Douglas Lute, thank you so much for your time.

LUTE: Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 lute   

n.琵琶，鲁特琴

参考例句：

• He idly plucked the strings of the lute.他漫不经心地拨弄着鲁特琴的琴弦。
• He knows how to play the Chinese lute.他会弹琵琶。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 leopards   

n.豹( leopard的名词复数 )；本性难移

参考例句：

• Lions, tigers and leopards are all cats. 狮、虎和豹都是猫科动物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• For example, airlines never ship leopards and canaries on the same flight. 例如，飞机上从来不会同时运送豹和金丝雀。 来自英语晨读30分（初三）

5 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

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 culmination   

n.顶点；最高潮

参考例句：

• The space race reached its culmination in the first moon walk.太空竞争以第一次在月球行走而达到顶峰。
• It may truly be regarded as the culmination of classical Greek geometry.这确实可以看成是古典希腊几何的登峰造级之作。

7 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

8 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

9 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

10 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

11 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

12 infantry   

n.[总称]步兵(部队)

参考例句：

• The infantry were equipped with flame throwers.步兵都装备有喷火器。
• We have less infantry than the enemy.我们的步兵比敌人少。

13 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

14 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

15 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

16 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

17 abide   

vi.遵守；坚持；vt.忍受

参考例句：

• You must abide by the results of your mistakes.你必须承担你的错误所造成的后果。
• If you join the club,you have to abide by its rules.如果你参加俱乐部，你就得遵守它的规章。

18 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

19 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。