访谈录 Interview 2007-05-21&23, 布莱尔专访：首相生涯回首

But first, Tony Blair, he's been a fixture¹ on the world's stage for a decade now, serving as Britain's prime minister. He was a new generation of leader, an Oxford² educated lawyer at Warren school, who is also member of a rock band called The Ugly Rumors³. He was first elected to Parliament at age 30, and became the youngest prime minister in nearly 200 years when his Labor⁴ Party gained the majority in 1997 when he was 43. Blair's also taken a lot of heat for his close alliance with President Bush in the war in Iraq and he's stepping down next month. Today he arrives in Washington to meet with the president. On Tuesday, NBC's Brian Williams had an exclusive interview with the outgoing leader. Spending time with him in his private office at No.10 Downing Street and talking with him about a wide range of issues starting with Iraq.

Would you do it again if you knew it all today? WMD threat wasn't there, what was going to happen in the aftermath, no plan for follow-on strategy, would you make the same decision to go with President Bush?

I would make the same decision to remove Saddam, yes.

How Mr. Prime Minister does it not cut you to the quick in—in some deep way when you read the expression—poodle—lapdog to American presidents, especially this president and especially this war.
I’ve got..I mean I’ve got used to a very intense level of criticism over it. You see, I’ve never had any doubt since 9/11 that our place was, as I said at the time, shoulder to shoulder with America.

How would you define success when do we know, um when victory isn't there?

Yeah, it's a good question, and I can't be sure of the answer of that at the moment. All I know is what the price of defeat is.

Do you believe Prince Harry⁵ should serve in Iraq and why wouldn't it be a danger to others in his unit?

Well, I know he is a very brave young man, and he's determined⁶ to go. But I think in the end this is a decision for the Army and for his commanders.

What quality of the Queen, what aspect of your conversation, do you think, would surprise people if they could have an ear in those conversations in your audiences with the Monarch⁷?

Probably a bit of thing, it's a bit of the humor, really.

Words, Mr. prime minister, have never failed you (Well!) and let's hope there is out of first for everything. Please give me the first paragraph of the summation⁸ of ten years of Prime Minister Blair. How would you like it viewed what have people gotten wrong and what have people gotten right?

You write words and tell me.

No chance.

You know, I think about that is, I mean, I gave a speech last Thursday. You can go and read this I read it.

I saw it.

Thank you. All these questions about judgment⁹ to legacy¹⁰ and all the rest, I leave that for other people.

Part of it is tied to an American president bothers you not a bit?

Well, I believe our country should be a strong ally of America, and I've never had any problem with that, never, have any problem with it, I think it will be a very dark day for my country when we do have a problem with it, and my warning, I would say to the rest of the world, but in another sense, it's also some just as you say, I think, to Americans, is the, the biggest danger is if America disengages. If it decides to pull up the drawbridge and says to the rest of the world, 'Right you go and sort it out.' We need America engaged.

And of course you can see more of Brian's exclusive interview with Tony Blair this Sunday night on Dateline, that's at 7 Eastern 6 Central time right here in NBC.
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to cut someone to the quick: to upset someone by criticizing them

1 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。

2 Oxford   

n.牛津（英国城市）

参考例句：

• At present he has become a Professor of Chemistry at Oxford.他现在已是牛津大学的化学教授了。
• This is where the road to Oxford joins the road to London.这是去牛津的路与去伦敦的路的汇合处。

3 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 harry   

vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼

参考例句：

• Today,people feel more hurried and harried.今天，人们感到更加忙碌和苦恼。
• Obama harried business by Healthcare Reform plan.奥巴马用医改掠夺了商界。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

8 summation   

n.总和；最后辩论

参考例句：

• The exhibition was a summation of his life's work.这次展览汇集了他一生中典型的作品。
• The defense attorney phrased his summation at last.最后，辩护律师作了辩论总结。

9 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

10 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。