后奥巴马时代,世界将面临一个更加混乱的中东

 With only months to leave the White House, Barack Obama is very likely to be another US president doomed¹ to the same failure after nearly eight years of futile² efforts to make peace in the Middle East.

尽管离卸任还有几个月，但在解决中东和平问题上，奥巴马却很有可能成为又一个花费八年时间却徒劳无功、最终同样失败的美国总统。

On last Wednesday, Obama is going to kick off what could be his last visit to Saudi Arabia as president, and convene³ a summit with leaders of Gulf⁴ Arab nations in Riyadh.

上周三，奥巴马开始了他作为总统的最后一次沙特之行，并与海湾地区阿拉伯国家的领导人在利雅得举行了一场峰会。

Many observe the trip as the US leader's last-ditch effort to fix Washington's impaired⁵ partnership⁶ with the House of Saud, yet they expect that the outgoing president would return without making much of a difference.

许多评论员将这次访问视作这位美国领导人试图修复美国和沙特王室伙伴关系的最后努力，但他们认为奥巴马的这次访问很有可能将无功而返。

后奥巴马时代,世界将面临一个更加混乱的中东

While losing faith in the Americans, Riyadh also fears that Tehran, which is now partially⁷ freed from the shackles⁸ of economic sanctions, would change the power balance in the region.

在对美国人失去信心的同时，沙特也担心在部分摆脱经济制裁的情况下，伊朗可能会改变中东地区的势力平衡。

It then ventured militarily in Yemen to prevent the Shiite Houthi group from taking over the whole country, executed a top Shiite cleric over terror-charges, and is trying to build up a regional anti-terror alliance parallel to the one led-by the United States.

因此，沙特军方进驻也门，以试图阻止什叶派胡塞武装组织接管整个也门。沙特还以恐怖主义罪名为由，处死了也门的一名什叶派宗教领袖，并试图建立一个以美国为首的地区性反恐怖主义联盟。

Though the Saudis are discontent, the Iranians are not pleased either. In the face of a Saudi-Iran catch-22, the Obama administration wants to show that it is not appeasing⁹ the Islamic Republic, and has slapped new sanctions on Iran's missile program. For that, Tehran has responded by launching more test shots and military drills.

尽管沙特表现出不满，但伊朗人似乎也不高兴。面对沙特-伊朗进退维谷的局面，奥巴马政府为了表明自己不是在安抚伊朗，决定对伊朗的导弹计划采取新一轮的制裁。而对此，伊朗方面则以更多的测试发射和军事演习作为回应。

Looking forward, Saudi Arabia's burgeoning¹⁰ anxiety to defend its preeminence¹¹ could risk confrontations¹² with a recovering Iran, either directly or in the form of proxy¹³ wars. And that is just one facet¹⁴ of how the Obama administration turns the Middle East into a more dangerous place by mishandling the problems there.

展望未来，沙特对于维持自己在伊斯兰世界的领导地位感到越来越焦虑，因为它将很有可能在未来和一个日渐强盛的伊朗相对抗，或以直接战争、或以代理战争的形式。而那仅仅只是奥巴马政府因不当处理中东问题，从而将中东推向更危险境地的一个方面。

In the early days of his presidency¹⁵, Obama was both ambitious and cost-conscious as he trod the waters in the Middle East.

在上任初期淌中东这趟浑水的时候，奥巴马显得既踌躇满志，又小心谨慎。

On the one hand, the president pictured a "new beginning" with the Muslim world in his Cairo University speech and promised to deliver peace to the region, while on the other he was not willing to recalibrate his input¹⁶ to serve the strategies out of political calculations.

一方面，奥巴马在开罗大学演讲时，描绘了伊斯兰世界的一个“新篇章”，并承诺自己将实现该地区的和平。但在另一方面，奥巴马又不愿意以不计政治报酬的方式投入到该地区的事务中去。

From the start, Obama's Middle East strategy is doomed to fail because he is more of an opportunist than an idealist. Whenever it comes to the decision that takes real political courage to face the cold-hard facts, he has uniformly flinched¹⁷.

从一开始，奥巴马的中东政策就注定会失败，因为他更像一个投机主义者，而不是一个理想主义者。每当需要他拿出真正的政治勇气来对这些冷酷的事实做决定的时候，他都退缩不前。

When President Obama steps down on Jan. 20 next year, he is sure to leave behind him a Mideast legacy¹⁸ that is shadowed by these unfathomed fundamental questions that are engulfing¹⁹ the region right now, and are ready to fester.

当奥巴马于明年1月20号卸任的时候，他肯定会留下一个难堪的中东政治遗留问题，这些悬而未决的关键性问题将会成为笼罩整个中东地区政治阴影，并进一步危害中东地区的和平与稳定。

And whoever is to succeed him, it is hoped that he or she could be a little more responsible in making and executing a Mideast policy, and focus on what matters most instead of pure American self-interests. Otherwise, the US meddling²⁰ could only get the region deeper mired²¹ in conflicts.

不管奥巴马的继任者是谁，我们都希望他或者她能够在制定和执行中东政策的时候更负责一点，应该致力于中东地区最迫切需要解决的问题，而不是只寻求如何实现美国自身的利益。否则，美国的干涉只会让中东卷入到更深的冲突泥潭当中去。

1 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

2 futile   

adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的

参考例句：

• They were killed,to the last man,in a futile attack.因为进攻失败，他们全部被杀，无一幸免。
• Their efforts to revive him were futile.他们对他抢救无效。

3 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

4 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

5 impaired   

adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

6 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

7 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

8 shackles   

手铐( shackle的名词复数 )； 脚镣； 束缚； 羁绊

参考例句：

• a country struggling to free itself from the shackles of colonialism 为摆脱殖民主义的枷锁而斗争的国家
• The cars of the train are coupled together by shackles. 火车的车厢是用钩链连接起来的。

9 appeasing   

安抚，抚慰( appease的现在分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争）

参考例句：

• Mr. Chamberlain had cherished the hope of appeasing and reforming him and leading him to grace. 张伯伦先生则满心想安抚他，感化他，教他温文知礼。
• A pleasing preacher is too often an appeasing preacher. 一昧讨好的传道人通常是姑息妥协的传道人。

10 burgeoning   

adj.迅速成长的，迅速发展的v.发芽，抽枝( burgeon的现在分词 )；迅速发展；发（芽），抽（枝）

参考例句：

• Our company's business is burgeoning now. 我们公司的业务现在发展很迅速。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• These efforts were insufficient to contain the burgeoning crisis. 这些努力不足以抑制迅速扩散的危机。 来自辞典例句

11 preeminence   

n.卓越,杰出

参考例句：

• No one doubted the preeminence of my father in financial matters.我父亲在财务方面的杰出才能是不容置疑的。
• Japan had no such confidence in its cultural preeminence or diplomatic skill.日本对本国文化的卓越程度和自己的外交手腕都缺乏这种信心。

12 confrontations   

n.对抗，对抗的事物( confrontation的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• At times, this potential has escalated into actual confrontations. 有时，这一矛盾升级为实际的对抗。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法
• These confrontations and uncertainties were bing played out for the first time on a global scale. 所有这一切对抗和不稳定，第一次在全球范围内得到充分的表演。 来自辞典例句

13 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

14 facet   

n.(问题等的)一个方面；(多面体的)面

参考例句：

• He has perfected himself in every facet of his job.他已使自己对工作的各个方面都得心应手。
• Every facet of college life is fascinating.大学生活的每个方面都令人兴奋。

15 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

16 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

17 flinched   

v.（因危险和痛苦）退缩，畏惧( flinch的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He flinched at the sight of the blood. 他一见到血就往后退。
• This tough Corsican never flinched or failed. 这个刚毅的科西嘉人从来没有任何畏缩或沮丧。 来自辞典例句

18 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

19 engulfing   

adj.吞噬的v.吞没，包住( engulf的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• A photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house darkness. 一位摄影师把电灯的保险丝烧断了，使整栋房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• A professional photographer had fused the lights,engulfing the entire house in darkness. 一位职业摄影师把保险丝烧断了使整所房子陷于黑暗当中。 来自辞典例句

20 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

21 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》