在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

法国积极干预非洲 英国哀叹失去勇气

As French troops deploy¹ alongside African counterparts to try to quell² the religious violence in the Central African Republic, military analysts³ say a new strategic order is emerging in Europe.  France is taking the lead in intervening in foreign conflicts, particularly in Africa - and British military chiefs have expressed fears that Britain has lost its nerve.

随着法国军队与非洲盟友一道出兵中非共和国平息宗教暴力，军事分析人士说，欧洲正在出现一种新的战略秩序。在干预国际特别是非洲地区的冲突中，法国正在发挥主导力量，而英国军队将领则哀叹说，他们担心，英国正在失去自己的勇气。

A unit of French troops code-named the ’Sangaris’ patrol Bangui, capital of the Central African Republic.

行动代号“红蝴蝶”(Sangaris)的法国部队在中非共和国首都班吉巡逻。

France sent 1,600 troops to the country last month to quell religious violence between Muslims and Christians⁴.

上个月，法国向中非共和国派出了1600名官兵，以平息当地穆斯林与基督徒之间的宗教暴力。

Earlier last year, Paris sent 4,000 soldiers to Mali, after Islamist forces took over much of the north of the country.

去年早些时候，在伊斯兰激进分子占领马里北部大部分地区之后，巴黎出兵马里，派遣了4千军人。

France’s willingness to intervene in African conflicts is in its self-interest, says David Cadier of the London School of Economics’ IDEAS policy institute.

伦敦政治经济学院的戴维·卡迪耶说，法国愿意干预非洲冲突，这符合自自身的利益。

“We do not want an Afghanistan in Africa.  This is why sometimes, in French strategic circles, the expression ‘Sahelistan’ has been used.  If you have no government, you have no security guarantees that you will not let terrorist groups install bases, training camps in Africa, in central Africa, in northern Africa - in other words, at the gates of Europe and of France in particular," said Cadier.

他说：“我们不想让非洲变成阿富汗。这就是为什么法国战略圈里的人有时用过‘萨赫勒斯坦’这种说法。如果没有了政府，没有了安全保障，那你就无法阻止恐怖组织在非洲，包括中非和北非建立根据地和训练营。这些地方处在欧洲、特别是法国的大门。”

France’s increasingly assertive⁵ role in global security contrasts with ally and neighbor Britain.

法国在国际安全事务中越来越愿意出头，这和盟友及邻国英国形成鲜明对照。

Last August, Britain shocked its allies after parliament voted against taking part in any military strikes on Syria, following claims that President Bashar al- Assad had used chemical weapons against civilians⁶.

去年8月，在叙利亚总统巴沙尔·阿萨德据称对平民使用了化学武器之后，美英法政府都曾警告要考虑动武，但是让盟国感到震惊的是，英国议会投票反对参加任何对叙利亚的军事打击行动。

In a speech last month, the British Chief of Defense⁷ Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton said his country had become skeptical⁸ about projecting force around the world.

上个月，英国国防参谋长、陆军上将尼古拉斯·霍顿爵士在一次演说中说，英国对在世界各地投射武力产生了疑虑。

“I have recently observed with some admiration⁹ the relative ability of French forces to operate with the mindset of aggressive risk management. We must be careful as a society and as a professional military not to lose our courageous¹⁰ instinct since it is one of the things which keeps us in a class-apart," said Houghton.

霍顿将军说：“最近，我带着一些敬佩的心情观察到，相对而言，法国军队能够带着一种积极管理风险的心态投入行动。作为社会，作为职业军队，我们必须当心，不要丢掉我们的勇敢本能，因为这是让我们与众不同的特点之一。”

Britain was the United States’ main ally in the 2003 invasion of Iraq - a war that was deeply unpopular at home.

在2003年攻打伊拉克的战争中，英国是美国的主要盟友。那场战争在英国国内非常不得人心。

At the end of this year British troops will complete their withdrawal¹¹ from Afghanistan after 13 years of fighting and nearly 450 fatalities¹². Polls show the public remains¹³ skeptical of what has been achieved - with British commanders warning the Taliban are poised¹⁴ to regain¹⁵ territory after NATO troops leave.

在今年年底之前，英国军队将全部撤离阿富汗。英军在阿富汗奋战了13年，近450人阵亡。民调显示，公众对出兵阿富汗到底实现了什么成果感到怀疑。英国指挥官警告说，北约撤军后，塔利班将会卷土重来。

Those conflicts, together with military spending cuts, have left Britain fatigued¹⁶ by foreign intervention¹⁷, says David Cadier.

戴维·卡迪耶说，这些海外冲突，加上军费削减，使英国对国际干预感到疲倦了。

“What is happening is a growing reluctance¹⁸ in terms of accepting risk and casualties.  And France is somehow frustrated¹⁹ by the lack of strategic support on the part of other Europeans," he said.

他说，“现在发生的情况是，人们越来越不愿意接受风险和伤亡。法国对其它欧洲国家的战略支持缺乏力度感到有些懊恼。”

In a speech last September, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said France would adapt to changing strategic challenges.

去年9月，法国外长洛朗·法比尤斯说，法国将随着不断变化的战略挑战而做出调整。

"France will remain a global player, and provided that it manages to regain its economic margin²⁰ and competitiveness, it will remain a 'power of influence.'  "France is a powerful state. "It has an undisputed international status, and the resources to meet the challenges of the new world," said Fabius.

法比尤斯说，法国将继续在全球发挥作用，只要法国设法恢复经济利润和竞争力，就将保住自己的“影响力”。“法国是一个强国，”他说，“它有着无可置疑的国际地位和资源来应对新世界的挑战”。

But one month into France’s deployment²¹ in the Central African Republic, polls show support among the French public is falling fast, down from 51 percent in December to 41 percent this week.

不过，法国出兵中非共和国一个月之后，民调显示，法国公众对这场干预行动的支持正在迅速滑落，从12月的51%下跌到本星期的41%。