在线英语听力室_免费在线英语听力学习网站

美国大选关键议题之一：伊朗核项目

Iran’s nuclear program has been at the forefront of challenges faced by four U.S. administrations. The issue has been a major talking point for both major candidates of the 2012 presidential elections. Republican candidate, Mitt¹ Romney criticizes President Obama as being too soft. But, the Obama Administration disputes that claim and says the international sanctions imposed and enforced on Iran were led by Washington.

伊朗核项目是以往四届美国政府面临的主要挑战，也是2012年总统大选民主共和两党候选人谈及的主要问题之一。共和党总统候选人罗姆尼批评美国总统奥巴马不够强硬。奥巴马政府对这种批评予以反驳，并表示，国际社会对伊朗实施的制裁，以及制裁的执行，美国都发挥了领导作用。

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, does not believe President Obama has done enough to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

本届大选的共和党总统候选人、前麻萨诸塞州州长罗姆尼认为，奥巴马总统在制止伊朗开发核武器的问题上，做得不够。

“I think from the very beginning, one of the challenges we’ve had with Iran is that they have looked at this administration and felt that the administration was not as strong as it needed to be. I think they saw weakness where they had expected to find American strength," he said.

罗姆尼说：“我觉得，从一开始，我们在跟伊朗打交道时面临的一大挑战就是，在他们看来，现在这届美国政府不够强大。他们本应看到美国的力量，但看到的却是美国的懦弱。”

During the third and last debate, President Obama defended his performance.

在总统候选人的也是最后一次辩论中，奥巴马总统为自己的作为提出了辩护。

“As long as I am the President of the United States, Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. I made that clear when I came into office. We then organized the strongest coalition² and the strongest sanctions against Iran in history, and it is crippling their economy. Their currency has dropped 80 percent. Their oil production has plunged³ to the lowest level since they were fighting a war with Iraq 20 years ago. So their economy is in shambles," he said.

奥巴马说，“只要我是美国总统，伊朗就不会获得核武器。我上任之初就把话说得很明白了。我们随后组织了联盟，对伊朗实施制裁，联盟之大和制裁之严厉在伊朗都是史无前例的，极大打击了伊朗经济，他们的货币贬值80%，石油产量也猛跌到20年前两伊战争以来的最低水平。伊朗经济现在是一片残局。”

Obama’s challenger believes there is more the U.S. should do.

然后，罗姆尼认为，美国政府还应采取更多行动。

“I’d take on diplomatic isolation⁴ efforts. I’d make sure that Ahmadinejad is indicted⁶ under the genocide convention. His words amount to genocide in citation⁷. I would indict⁵ him for it. I would also make sure that their diplomats⁸ are treated like the pariah⁹ they are around the world," said Romney.

罗姆尼说，“我会对伊朗进行外交孤立，保证让艾哈迈迪内贾德根据种族灭绝公约受到起诉，他说的话已经构成了种族灭绝罪，我会对他提出起诉。我还要确保伊朗外交官在世界各地受到孤立。”

Governor Romney is referring to the remarks of Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has called for the destruction of Israel.

罗姆尼这样说，是因为伊朗总统艾哈迈迪内贾德曾公开提出，要消灭以色列。

Both candidates believe that Iran’s nuclear program is a threat to U.S. national interests. Ari Ratner, a Principal at the Truman Project on National Security, says, by nature, American foreign policy is bipartisan, and preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is a clear example.

奥巴马和罗姆尼都认为，伊朗核项目是对美国国家利益的威胁。国家安全杜鲁门项目的负责人拉特纳说，美国的外交政策向来都是跨党派的，阻止伊朗获得核武器是一个典型的例子。

“American National interests don’t change so much from one administration to another. A lot of this (Romney's critique of Obama) is bluster¹⁰, desire to look tough," he said.

拉特纳说：“美国的国家利益不会随着美国政府换届而出现明显改变。罗姆尼对奥巴马的这些批评，都是虚张声势，为的是显得更加强势。”

Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes and has no military component¹¹. But Yukiya Amano, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, United Nation’s nuclear watchdog, says the agency needs clarifications in 12 areas before it can confirm Iran’s claim.

伊朗说，他们的核项目是为了和平目的，不存在军用要素。但是国际原子能机构总干事天野之弥说，要证明伊朗的说法，他们要对12个领域进行证明。

While the American candidates spar over how to deal with Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is losing patience with Washington’s approach.

奥巴马和罗姆尼在如何对待伊朗核项目的问题上争论不休的同时，以色列总理内塔尼亚胡已经开始对华盛顿失去耐心。

“These sanctions are hitting the Iran economy hard, they haven’t yet rolled back the Iranian ((nuclear)) program. We’ll know that they are achieving their goal when the centrifuges stop spinning and when the Iranian nuclear program is rolled back," he said.

内塔尼亚胡说，“这些制裁措施对伊朗经济造成了严重打击，但是没能让他们的核项目倒退。直到哪天伊朗的离心机停止工作，伊朗核项目开始拆除，经济制裁手段才能算是达到了目的。”

The United States and its allies have rejected Netanyahu’s demand to set a red line for Iran’s nuclear program. But, at the UN General Assembly, Netanyahu did just that and has said his next course of action will be military strike against Iranian nuclear sites and facilities.

美国及其盟友拒绝接受内塔尼亚胡提出的对伊朗核项目设限的要求。不过，内塔尼亚胡在联合国大会上表示，他的下一步行动是对伊朗的核基地和核设施进行军事打击。

Iran has threatened to retaliate¹² against any country’s attack. Mitt Romney is critical of the Obama administration for not clearly saying that Washington would back Israel if it was attacked.

伊朗威胁说，任何国家对伊朗发动攻击，伊朗都会予以还击。罗姆尼批评奥巴马政府，说奥巴马政府没有明确声明，一旦以色列受到袭击，美国一定会挺身而出。

But President Obama has made it clear that the U.S. will not abandon its long-time ally. "I will stand with Israel if they are attacked. And this is the reason why, working with Israel, we have created the strongest military and intelligence cooperation between our two countries in history," he said.

不过，奥巴马总统已明确表示，美国不会放弃长期盟友以色列。奥巴马说：“如果以色列受到袭击，我会跟以色列站在一起。正是出于这个原因，我们跟以色列一起，建立了我们两国间有史以来最强大的军事和情报合作关系。”

Speaking to the General Assembly last month, Obama told the world’s leaders that he remains¹³ committed to diplomatic, economic and political tools, but would explore what he called the full range of options if Tehran does not bend.

美国总统奥巴马在上个月的联大会议讲话中告诉各国领导人说，他还是坚持使用外交、经济和政治工具，但是如果伊朗不肯低头的话，他也会考虑使用其他各种行动选项。