美国向埃及出售武器求稳定（在线收听）

美国向埃及出售武器求稳定

President Barack Obama has resumed sales of big ticket military items to Egypt, citing U.S. national security interests in the increasingly chaotic Middle East. Washington has difficulty keeping balance between supporting democracy and countering terrorist threats in the region.

Citing national security interests, Washington has bypassed Egypt's dismal human rights and democracy record and sold the country F-16 fighter jets, Harpoon missiles and Abrams tank kits.

在提到国家安全利益时，华盛顿避开了埃及令人失望的人权和民主记录，向该国出售F-16战斗机、鱼叉导弹和艾布拉姆斯坦克装备。

But by not pushing harder for improved human rights and security force accountability in Egypt, the U.S. administration risks pushing more people towards extremist groups, warns Sarah Margon, Washington director of Human Rights Watch.

但美国政府并不是加大改善埃及人权并加强安全部队责任，而是冒着将更多人推向极端组织的危险，华盛顿人权观察主任萨拉·马尔贡如是说。

"There’s no question right now that if you join with the US and focus on fighting ISIS and other related terrorist threats, that the other concerns one might have in your country are going to get a pass. We see this throughout the region," said Margon.

“毫无疑问，现在如果加入美国一道，重点打击IS和其他相关恐怖威胁，这样本国国内的其他问题就可以不管不顾了，我们在整个地区看到的就是这个情况。”

Multiple crises erupting across the Middle East, including the emergence of ISIS, or the Islamic State extremists, may be pushing the administration into supporting traditional allies even when those alliances may be difficult, says former Ambassador James Jeffrey.

整个中东地区的多重危机，包括IS极端组织的崛起，都可能推动美国政府支持传统的联盟，即使在组建联盟困难重重之时，前大使詹姆斯·杰弗瑞如是说。

"The administration needs to do more to, as I said a bit ago, advance relationships with the nation states and the leaders of the region, even if we don’t like some things about them, because we are all endangered by the forces that have been unleashed from North Africa to Pakistan," said Jeffrey.

“正如我之前所说，美国政府需要做更多努力来推动与该地区国家及其领导人的关系，即使我们不喜欢与他们有关的一些东西，因为我们我们都面临着从北非到巴基斯坦的武装力量的威胁。”

The latest military sales to Egypt will not likely significantly alter the regional power balance, but it does convey Washington's support for stability versus the constantly shifting conflicts in the Middle East.

最近向埃及出售武器的行为可能不会在很大程度上改变地区的力量均衡，但却表达出在中东面临不断交替冲突的情况下美国对稳定的支持。

The United States just does not have any good policy options left in the region, says Aram Nerguizian, senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

美国在该地区已经没有什么好的政策选择了，战略和国际研究中心高级研究员阿兰姆·内古齐安如是说。

“The short answer is, the U.S. wants to have a relationship with Egypt, a country of 80 million people, that will likely be 100 million by 2030, the single largest Arab state in terms of demographics, and an important state in terms of stability," said Nerguizian.

“简单的答案是，美国希望与埃及建立关系，这个国家有8000万人口，到2030年可能有一亿人口，这是人口统计角度最大的一个阿拉伯国家，也是促进稳定的重要国家。”

It is not clear how much of a stabilizing influence Egypt will prove to be.

尚不清楚埃及可能会对稳定发挥多大的影响力。

But having Cairo aligned with Washington and traditional U.S. allies like Saudi Arabia will at least give the impression of a united front against rival Iran and others challenging the status quo.

但是，开罗与华盛顿和沙特等传统的美国盟友的联合，至少给人这样的印象，即他们在联合对抗敌对的伊朗和其他挑战现状的力量。