VOA标准英语2014--批评者们质疑奥巴马主义

 

Critics Question Obama Doctrine¹ 批评者们质疑奥巴马主义

WHITE HOUSE — President Barack Obama's foreign policy has come under criticism, not just from Republican lawmakers and conservative pundits², but also from centrists who accuse the president of taking an approach they describe as unclear, weak, and isolationist.  Others say the president's strategy is in line with American public opinion, which has been shaped by a more than a decade of war.  

With Russian-backed forces overrunning parts of Ukraine despite U.S. sanctions, Syria and Egypt in turmoil³, China asserting territorial⁴ claims, and the Israeli Palestinian peace process stuck, President Obama's policies overseas are under attack.

On a recent Asian visit, Obama was asked to define his doctrine.

“Typically, criticism of our foreign policy has been directed at the failure to use military force," said President Obama. "And the question I think I would have is, why is it that everybody is so eager to use military force after we've just gone through a decade of war at enormous costs to our troops and to our budget?"

Everybody in America is not eager to use military force.  Polls show most Americans don't support sending U.S. troops into foreign conflicts.

But many still want the U.S. to take the lead in resolving crises and promoting democracy globally.

“I've come here to Cairo to seek a new beginning," said Obama.

In his landmark⁵ Cairo speech in 2009, President Obama pledged his support for democratic change in the Middle East.

“No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation by any other.  That does not lessen⁶ my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people,"said Obama.

Then, the Arab Spring erupted.  Egypt - and especially Syria - plunged⁷ into chaos⁸.

On Syria, the administration's image suffered for not following through with threats to attack after the Assad government used chemical weapons and there's little chance it will step in now.  

Analyst⁹ Larry Korb:

"When President Obama looks at Syria he says, 'OK what will be the cost? Will the Syrian people, all of them, welcome us?' We thought that the Iraqi people would. Certain did, but most of them didn't," said Korb.

Despite the odds¹⁰, the administration launched yet another attempt at Israeli-Palestinian peace.  But it failed to produce results.  Analyst Elliott Abrams.

“I think there is a sense we ought to try and I think the energy that particularly Secretary of State Kerry has put into this is widely admired.  I have to say, though, I think it was a mistake.  It's not good for the United States to fail, ever, at anything because it suggests people are defying us or they don't care about our opinion," said Abrams.

But perhaps the biggest risk - or potential for a breakthrough - is in Obama's efforts for a historic deal to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.  

The president made a campaign promise to pull back from world conflicts and focus on nation building at home.  It's now up to history to judge whether the strategy was the right one.

1 doctrine   

n.教义；主义；学说

参考例句：

• He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
• The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。

2 pundits   

n.某一学科的权威，专家( pundit的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The pundits disagree on the best way of dealing with the problem. 如何妥善处理这一问题，专家众说纷纭。 来自辞典例句
• That did not stop Chinese pundits from making a fuss over it. 这并没有阻止中国的博学之士对此大惊小怪。 来自互联网

3 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

4 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

5 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

6 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

7 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

8 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

9 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。

10 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？