VOA常速英语2013--沙特官员不满美国的中东政策

 

Saudi Officials Piqued¹ at US Middle East Policies 沙特官员不满美国的中东政策

CAIRO, EGYPT — The U.S. has downplayed recent tensions with Saudi Arabia, but some in the region say the problems may not be easily pushed aside.

开罗，埃及-美国近来不重视与沙特的紧张局势，但这地区的一些人说这个问题可能不会被轻易被推到一边。

The normally staid kingdom has rebuffed a seat on the U.N. Security Council, hinted it might go it alone on Syria, and most surprisingly, made clear its anger at long-time ally the United States.

平日以严肃形象示人的沙特拒绝联合国安理会席位，暗示在叙利亚问题上它有可单干，最令人惊讶的是明确了对其长期盟友美国的愤怒。

Saudi editor and author Jamal Khashoggi, speaking to VOA via Skype, said, “What Saudi Arabia is probably worried about is that America is only interested in the nuclear issue with Iran, Israeli security, and they will leave to us the mess that we have in the Middle East to sort out ourselves.”

沙特编辑和作者贾马尔·哈肖吉通过Skype对美国之音说：“沙特担心的是，美国是只关心与伊朗和以色列的核安全问题，他们留给我们的烂摊子让我们在中东自己处理。”

The “mess” in the wake of the Arab Spring is extensive. Saudi officials were furious over the U.S. reversal on strikes against Syria's government, an ally of Saudi rival Iran. Frustration² grew over Washington's handling of Egypt. America's top diplomat³ called the ouster of an elected president "restoring democracy," but then Washington cut aid.

在“阿拉伯之春”之后的“烂摊子”是大量的。沙特官员就美国对叙利亚政府的出尔反尔没出兵，美国与伊朗和解表示愤怒。华盛顿对埃及问题的处理驻长了愤怒。美国的高级外交官称推翻民选总统是“恢复民主”，但是之后华盛顿停止了对其的援助。

Political analyst⁴ Mustafa Labbad said U.S. Mideast policy lately is seen largely as a series of missteps. "You have to have a sophisticated plan as a super power. If you don't have it - so, you wouldn't achieve anything,” he said.

政治分析师Mustafa Labbad说，最近美国的中东政策主要是一系列失误。“美国作为一个超级大国必须有一个精细的计划，如果没有它 -你将一事无成。”他说。

Hovering⁵ over all is the sectarian struggle between Sunnis and Shi'ites - roughly translated in Saudi leaders' eyes as Saudi Arabia versus⁶ Iran. U.S overtures⁷ to Tehran, in hopes of curbing⁸ Tehran's nuclear ambitions, do not help.

一直悬未决的问题是逊尼派和什叶派之间的宗派斗争 -在沙特领导人看来就是沙特与伊朗的问题。美国主动向德黑兰示好，希望遏制伊朗的核野心但并没有起作用。

Washington has downplayed the idea of a U.S-Saudi rift⁹, but former U.S. ambassador Adam Ereli said America needs to reassure¹⁰ its Middle East allies.

华盛顿一直淡化美国和沙特之间的分歧问题，但前美国大使埃雷利说，美国需要使中东盟国消除疑虑。

“We are neglecting them at our peril¹¹, because we need them. I think we are taking them a little bit for granted, frankly¹². And that includes Saudi Arabia," said Ereli.

“我们会自食其果的如果我们忽视这些问题，我们需要他们。坦率地说我认为，我们在对待中东盟国时一直当成理所当然。这也包括沙特阿拉伯。”雷利说。

Key strategic interests continue to bind¹³ the United States and Saudi Arabia - anti-terrorism and oil among the top issues. Many think those will outlast¹⁴ the current tensions. There may be a more fundamental change afoot, however, according to Khashoggi.

反恐和石油是首要问题在美国和沙特阿拉伯主要战略利益纽带中。许多人认为，这些将拖垮目前的紧张局势。然而Khashoggi认为这里会有更根本的改变在进行中。

“What is happening in the Middle East is a rebirth, something similar to what happened in 1918 after the fall of the Ottoman Empire. And it really needs stable, strong countries to manage that rebirth,” he said.

“在中东正在发生是一个重生，类似于奥斯曼帝国的倒塌后1918年发生的事情。 它确实需要稳定，强大的国家管理这些重生，“他说。

Those countries, he hopes, will be Saudi Arabia, with Sunni partners, such as Turkey. The question is whether or not Iran envisions a Shi'ite version of that scenario¹⁵. Analysts¹⁶ believe it likely does. 

他希望这些国家是沙特阿拉伯和逊尼派的合作伙伴，如土耳其。现在的问题是伊朗是否设想在这种情况下出现一个新的什叶派版本。分析人士认为这是有可能。

1 piqued   

v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心）

参考例句：

• Their curiosity piqued, they stopped writing. 他们的好奇心被挑起，停下了手中的笔。 来自辞典例句
• This phenomenon piqued Dr Morris' interest. 这一现象激起了莫里斯医生的兴趣。 来自辞典例句

2 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

3 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

6 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

7 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句

8 curbing   

n.边石，边石的材料v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Progress has been made in curbing inflation. 在控制通货膨胀方面已取得了进展。
• A range of policies have been introduced aimed at curbing inflation. 为了抑制通货膨胀实施了一系列的政策。

9 rift   

n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入

参考例句：

• He was anxious to mend the rift between the two men.他急于弥合这两个人之间的裂痕。
• The sun appeared through a rift in the clouds.太阳从云层间隙中冒出来。

10 reassure   

v.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• This seemed to reassure him and he continued more confidently.这似乎使他放心一点，于是他更有信心地继续说了下去。
• The airline tried to reassure the customers that the planes were safe.航空公司尽力让乘客相信飞机是安全的。

11 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。

12 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

13 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

14 outlast   

v.较…耐久

参考例句：

• The great use of life is to spend it doing something that will outlast it.人生的充分利用就是为争取比人生更长久的东西而度过一生。
• These naturally dried flowers will outlast a bouquet of fresh blooms.这些自然风干的花会比一束鲜花更加持久。

15 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

16 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。