Biden's regime change comment should have been more nuanced, Sen. Reed says

Biden's regime change comment should have been more nuanced, Sen. Reed says

　　Transcript¹

　　NPR's Rachel Martin speaks to Democratic Sen. Jack² Reed of Rhode Island, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, about President Biden's weekend speech about Putin's power in Russia.

　　RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

　　We're going to focus in now on President Biden's speech in Warsaw and the possible U.S. response to the war as it drags on. Biden laid out the stakes, calling it a, quote, "test of all time" between democratic societies and the forces of autocracy³. His prepared remarks concluded on notes of optimism.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

　　PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: We will have a different future, a brighter future rooted in democracy and principle, hope and light, of decency⁴ and dignity, of freedom and possibilities.

　　MARTIN: But the president did not end his remarks there. Instead, he added the following.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

　　BIDEN: For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power.

　　MARTIN: Nine words, ad-libbed - a wholesale⁵ change in U.S. policy just like that, or so it seemed, something not even Biden's closest aides had anticipated. In a statement a short while later, the White House tried to walk it back, insisting, quote, "the president's point was that Putin cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbors or the region. He was not discussing Putin's power in Russia or regime change." Still, those are the words that reverberated⁶ after the speech was over. We are joined now by Democratic Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senator, thanks for being here this morning.

　　JACK REED: Thank you, Rachel.

　　MARTIN: Should the U.S. be agitating⁷ publicly for Vladimir Putin to be removed from office?

　　REED: No. And I think the president's comments were consistent with his view about Putin personally, which he's made no qualms⁸ about calling him a war criminal and a butcher, et cetera. I don't think it surprises Putin at all that he would say that. But I think a more nuanced approach would have been better.

　　MARTIN: So now, this is significant, though, because European allies are scrambling⁹ to pick up the pieces after this remark. What are the real-world implications of the president of the United States saying that the leader of Russia should go?

　　REED: Well the administration quite promptly¹⁰ - and indeed, the president when he was leaving mass - indicated that, no, he does not intend for regime change. That's never been part of our calculation, nor NATO's calculation. I think the Russians understand that from the issue of what we've done and how we've tried to do it.

　　MARTIN: Senator Reed, the White House has mentioned, without citing evidence, that Russia may be considering the use of chemical and biological weapons against Ukraine. How real is that threat to you?

　　REED: Well, it's very real because they have the capability¹¹ of doing that. And initially¹², Putin made all sorts of outrageous¹³ claims about weapons of mass destruction. So we have to be prepared, and our intelligence is extensively focused on this possibility. And I think that preparation and also the implications that we've already given that we would not treat this lightly is critical, I think, to pre-empting emptying it.

　　MARTIN: I want to play a clip for you. Yesterday on NBC's "Meet The Press," Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman said the U.S. does need to state the consequences of what the response would be to a chemical weapons attack in Ukraine. Let's listen.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "MEET THE PRESS")

　　ROB PORTMAN: I think the use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians¹⁴ is something where we have to draw a red line. And we need to do it now, and we need to do it with our NATO allies. Recall, we did this in Syria and did not honor the red line. This time we got to be darn sure that what we're doing is something that will be backed up by us, by our NATO allies. And I do think that's a red line.

　　MARTIN: Do you agree? I mean, those words are significant, right? The red line carries a lot of symbolic¹⁵ weight. But if you do agree, what should the consequences be?

　　REED: Well, first of all, I think Rob's comments about we have to do it with the support of our NATO allies are absolutely critical. And I would think that the administration has been working diligently¹⁶ to get a common position. But I think also, too, they are thinking of a range of options if there were a chemical attack. One of the problems with red lines is, as Rob also indicated, if you don't fulfill¹⁷ your threat, then you've lost a lot of influence, and you've lost a lot of credibility. So I think they're carefully trying to balance - how do we deter¹⁸ them and do so with the entire NATO force behind us?

　　MARTIN: What do you think is the most likely outcome of this situation? I mean, is it something like the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence has suggested, that Russia would agree to splitting the country in two, taking the eastern provinces? Would that be feasible?

　　REED: I don't know how feasible it'd be, but I think it would be one of the proposals that would be seriously floated. Again, I think this is where the Ukrainians also get a vote. And so much depends upon what they're doing on the ground. If they continue to effectively upset Russian plans and do so in dramatic manners, Russia is not in a very good bargaining position. And that, I hope, is the situation. I think, honestly, that what - the best way is to find that off-ramp where there is some cover for Putin. I think there's been discussions about, would the Ukrainians agree not to join NATO but would still expect and demand to receive support from Western allies militarily?

　　MARTIN: But do you really think that's all Putin is really after, Ukraine's agreement not to join NATO, at this point?

　　REED: I think he was after, initially, the fall of the Ukraine in several days, then moving the pressure on to the Baltic. He was not going to stop. And now he has been forced back dramatically by courageous¹⁹ forces. And so his demands, I think, are much, much less.

　　MARTIN: What is left for the U.S. in terms of leverage²⁰? Because the sanctions have kept coming, and none of it seems to have moved Putin.

　　REED: The sanctions will take a while to work. That's one of the difficulties of imposing²¹ sanctions. I think we have to continue to support the Ukrainian military forces with air defense²² systems, with anti-tank systems. I think we have to continue to support them on a NATO-wide basis with intelligence. We also have to provide the ammunition²³ and the basic stocks of supplies they need so that they can continue the fight. And we hope we get to a position where forces within Russia, either because of economic deprivation²⁴ or because of continued loss of life and a stalemate, decide that it's time to seek a negotiated agreement.

　　MARTIN: Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Thank you for your time this morning.

　　REED: Thank you, Rachel, very much.

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 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

3 autocracy   

n.独裁政治，独裁政府

参考例句：

• The revolution caused the overthrow of the autocracy.这场革命导致了独裁政体的结束。
• Many poor countries are abandoning autocracy.很多贫穷国家都在放弃独裁统治。

4 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

5 wholesale   

n.批发；adv.以批发方式；vt.批发，成批出售

参考例句：

• The retail dealer buys at wholesale and sells at retail.零售商批发购进货物，以零售价卖出。
• Such shoes usually wholesale for much less.这种鞋批发出售通常要便宜得多。

6 reverberated   

回响，回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使反响，使回荡，使反射

参考例句：

• Her voice reverberated around the hall. 她的声音在大厅里回荡。
• The roar of guns reverberated in the valley. 炮声响彻山谷。

7 agitating   

搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论

参考例句：

• political groups agitating for social change 鼓吹社会变革的政治团体
• They are agitating to assert autonomy. 他们正在鼓吹实行自治。

8 qualms   

n.不安；内疚

参考例句：

• He felt no qualms about borrowing money from friends.他没有对于从朋友那里借钱感到不安。
• He has no qualms about lying.他撒谎毫不内疚。

9 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

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 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

13 outrageous   

adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的

参考例句：

• Her outrageous behaviour at the party offended everyone.她在聚会上的无礼行为触怒了每一个人。
• Charges for local telephone calls are particularly outrageous.本地电话资费贵得出奇。

14 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

15 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

16 diligently   

ad.industriously;carefully

参考例句：

• He applied himself diligently to learning French. 他孜孜不倦地学法语。
• He had studied diligently at college. 他在大学里勤奋学习。

17 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

18 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

19 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

20 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

21 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

22 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。

23 ammunition   

n.军火，弹药

参考例句：

• A few of the jeeps had run out of ammunition.几辆吉普车上的弹药已经用光了。
• They have expended all their ammunition.他们把弹药用光。

24 deprivation   

n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困

参考例句：

• Many studies make it clear that sleep deprivation is dangerous.多实验都证实了睡眠被剥夺是危险的。
• Missing the holiday was a great deprivation.错过假日是极大的损失。