美国国家公共电台 NPR What Does Trump's Victory Mean For NATO?

What Does Trump¹'s Victory Mean For NATO?  

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Donald Trump said a lot of shocking things during his campaign. Near the top of the list - he called NATO obsolete³. He said the United States would not defend member countries unless they reimbursed⁴ Washington for the cost of its troops and bases in Europe. His threat goes to the very foundation of NATO, that an attack on one is an attack on all. And a lot of people in Europe are nervous after his election victory. And for more on this, we turn to NPR's Frank Langfitt, who is in Brussels, the home of NATO headquarters. Frank, good morning.

FRANK LANGFITT, BYLINE⁵: Good morning, David.

GREENE: So what was the reaction to Trump's victory at NATO?

LANGFITT: I think here in Brussels there was - people were stunned⁶ and there was a sense of panic. I mean, imagine waking up and finding out the most powerful member of your group is about to be run by one of your harshest critics, who actually questions your value. I was talking to Bruno Lete, he works as a security analyst⁷ at the German Marshall Fund here in Brussels. And here's how he put it.

BRUNO LETE: Friends were posting on Facebook, on Twitter. It was as if people would believe that it's the end of the world. That it's the end of the transatlantic bonds, that the Americans will no longer have the back of Europe, that we basically lost our only friends on the planet.

LANGFITT: You know, Lete said Trump's criticisms that other countries don't pay their fair share is nothing new. But the idea that the U.S. might not defend a fellow member is frightening. Because, you know, NATO, as you were saying earlier, it only works as a deterrent⁸ if all members are willing to defend each other.

GREENE: Well, Frank, you mentioned members. I mean, this is an organization of member countries and, you know, not monolithic⁹. Different countries have different histories, different cultures. So, I mean, are some countries more nervous than others?

LANGFITT: Absolutely. You know, there are three tiny countries - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - they're called the Baltics. They are the most nervous right now. They used to be a part of the Soviet¹⁰ Union. Then they became a part of NATO. And that drives Russian President Vladimir Putin crazy. So now you have Trump praising Putin, saying he won't necessarily protect NATO countries. For the Baltics, that's a nightmare.

Jonathan Eyal, he's with the Royal United Services Institute. That's a military think tank in London. He says Trump's approach to NATO is really transactional. And his - the way he thinks is sort of, what's in it for me? And that Trump isn't really driven by the shared values that hold organizations like NATO together. Now, (unintelligible) see Trump as a kind of guy that might be willing to cut a deal. I talked to Eyal by phone. Here's how he put it.

JONATHAN EYAL: I think there's a lot of people in Moscow who see the real estate and property tycoon¹¹ as being absolutely right and ready for a division in the spheres of influence between Russia and United States, usually done on the back of the Europeans as it was done at the end of the second World War.

LANGFITT: Now, David, Eyal emphasized he doesn't think Europe is going to be carved up. But he worries that Trump is driving misperceptions in Moscow.

GREENE: Well, Frank, if Donald Trump is seen as someone who makes deals, negotiates, does NATO think they might talk him out of this view?

LANGFITT: I think that's part of their idea. You know, I was talking to Bruno Lete, he's that security analyst with the German Marshall Fund. He suggested a pragmatic approach. Basically NATO needs to appeal to Trump's way of thinking and point out that NATO provides stability in Europe and that's good for the economy and good for American business.

GREENE: Any criticisms of Trump that NATO actually accepts?

LANGFITT: Well, I think so. Around here, you know, Trump has said NATO needs to focus a lot more on one of the great threats of our time - terrorism. Lete agreed and said NATO's doing more in that area.

GREENE: OK. NPR's Frank Langfitt, speaking to us from the home of NATO - Brussels. Frank, thanks a lot.

LANGFITT: Happy to do it, David.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 browser   

n.浏览者

参考例句：

• View edits in a web browser.在浏览器中看编辑的效果。
• I think my browser has a list of shareware links.我想在浏览器中会有一系列的共享软件链接。

3 obsolete   

adj.已废弃的，过时的

参考例句：

• These goods are obsolete and will not fetch much on the market.这些货品过时了，在市场上卖不了高价。
• They tried to hammer obsolete ideas into the young people's heads.他们竭力把陈旧思想灌输给青年。

4 reimbursed   

v.偿还，付还( reimburse的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Any out-of-pocket expenses incurred on the firm's business will be reimbursed. 由公司业务产生的开销都可以报销。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Employees are reimbursed for any legal fees incurred when they relocate. 员工调往异地工作时，他们可以报销由此产生的所有法律服务费用。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

6 stunned   

adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
• The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。

7 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。

8 deterrent   

n.阻碍物，制止物；adj.威慑的，遏制的

参考例句：

• Large fines act as a deterrent to motorists.高额罚款是对开车的人的制约。
• I put a net over my strawberries as a deterrent to the birds.我在草莓上罩了网，免得鸟歇上去。

9 monolithic   

adj.似独块巨石的；整体的

参考例句：

• Don't think this gang is monolithic.不要以为这帮人是铁板一块。
• Mathematics is not a single monolithic structure of absolute truth.数学并不是绝对真理的单一整体结构。

10 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

11 tycoon   

n.有钱有势的企业家，大亨

参考例句：

• The tycoon is on the verge of bankruptcy.那名大亨濒临破产的边缘。
• The tycoon has many servants to minister to his needs.那位大亨有很多人服侍他。