美国国家公共电台 NPR--Will the OPEC decision to cut oil production further hurt U.S.-Saudi relations?

Will the OPEC decision to cut oil production further hurt U.S.-Saudi relations?

Transcript¹

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to ex-U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Gerald Feierstein about the U.S.-Saudi relationship after OPEC decided² to cut oil production. President Biden was disappointed by the decision.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

When OPEC Plus countries, led by Saudi Arabia, voted to cut oil production this week, the U.S.-Saudi relationship took another hit. The move will drive oil and gas prices up as people around the world struggle with energy prices in the face of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. And domestically, that doesn't bode³ well for President Biden and the Democrats⁴ just weeks before the midterms. Biden called the move shortsighted and said this about Saudi Arabia.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: It is a disappointment, and it says that they're a problem.

FADEL: But the move is good for Russia. With us now to discuss all this is Gerry (ph) Feierstein, who is a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen and a distinguished⁵ senior fellow for U.S. diplomacy⁶ at the Middle East Institute. Good morning, Ambassador.

GERALD FEIERSTEIN: Good morning Leila.

FADEL: So, Ambassador, with this decision by OPEC Plus to cut production, should the U.S., as some congressional Democrats are asking - should the U.S. be reevaluating its relationship with Saudi Arabia?

FEIERSTEIN: Well, I think that the bottom line is that when President Biden visited Saudi Arabia in July, he laid out a vision for a much more strategic relationship with the Saudis that would go beyond the traditional twin pillars of defense⁷ and energy. It's clear from this decision that the Saudis are neither willing nor able to respond to President Biden's vision. And I think that the correct response for the U.S. is that we should be very clearsighted, very coldblooded in how we evaluate our interests in Saudi Arabia. And we should do the things that we believe are in the best interests of the United States and the American people.

FADEL: What does clearsighted and coldblooded look like?

FEIERSTEIN: Well, I think that we should evaluate each of the steps and each of the aspects of our relationship with the Saudis on the basis of whether or not we think that this advances U.S. interests. I know that there are some Democrats, for example, who are talking about a cutoff of arms supply to the Saudis. I'm not sure that that's the right answer. We have a U.S. national security interest in ensuring that the Saudis are able to defend themselves. But there are other things that we should be advocating on human rights, on other areas where we should be pressing our own vision, our own views on what the correct strategy is, what the correct position is. And we shouldn't be concerned or careful about taking positions that are at variance⁸ with Saudi preferences.

FADEL: You mentioned that visit in July, and that was criticized because it came after the killing⁹ of Jamal Khashoggi and after U.S. intelligence concluded that the crown prince approved that killing. Do you think that the visit and what the White House's approach has been at this - at the cost of human rights, of taking a stand on human rights in Saudi Arabia without getting any benefit?

FEIERSTEIN: I think that the president made the correct decision in July that he should try to move the relationship to a different level and to try to balance out all of these various aspects. We have a number of core issues and interests in Saudi Arabia, and it's never going to be easy to find the right balance. But the human rights issue and the question of the responsibility, accountability for the Jamal Khashoggi murder is still out there. It's not resolved yet. And I think that the United States has opportunities to be more forceful and direct in how we deal with those issues.

FADEL: But does the U.S. have the influence anymore when it comes to Saudi Arabia and really in the Middle East? Is the U.S. influence waning¹⁰ here?

FEIERSTEIN: I think that the U.S. interest is - and influence is there. We are still the No. 1 defense and security partner for all of the states of the GCC. And that's not going to change. And I think that we should be using our influence as we have it. And it's not going to go away any time soon.

FADEL: Gerry Feierstein of the Middle East Institute, thank you for taking the time.

FEIERSTEIN: It was a pleasure. Thank you.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 bode   

v.预示

参考例句：

• These figures do not bode well for the company's future.这些数字显示出公司的前景不妙。
• His careful habits bode well for his future.他那认真的习惯预示著他会有好的前途。

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 distinguished   

adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的

参考例句：

• Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
• A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。

6 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

7 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

8 variance   

n.矛盾，不同

参考例句：

• The question of woman suffrage sets them at variance. 妇女参政的问题使他们发生争执。
• It is unnatural for brothers to be at variance. 兄弟之间不睦是不近人情的。

9 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

10 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》