英闻天下——302 Spending Cuts Would Undermine US Diplomacy

 　　US Secretary of State John Kerry has joined a chorus of other Obama cabinet ministers in warning of the impending¹ budget cuts, which are set to kick in this coming month.

 

　　Kerry says the looming² sequestration will undermine U.S. diplomacy³.

 

　　"I'm particularly aware that in many ways the greatest challenge to America's foreign policy today is in the hands not of diplomats⁴, but of policymakers in Congress. It's often said that we can't be strong at home if we're not strong in the world, but in these days of a looming budget sequester⁵ that everyone actually wants to avoid, or most, we can't be strong in the world unless we are strong at home. "

 

　　Kerry notes US foreign policy spending amounts to just over 1-percent of the overall federal budget.

 

　　Across-the-board cuts, known as "sequestration," would slash⁶ 2.6-billion dollars out of the budget for the State Department and USAID, the US development assistance agency.

 

　　Kerry's warning follows similar alerts from Pentagon chief Leon Panetta and other Obama administration officials about the 85-billion dollars in cuts, which will begin on March 1st unless the White House and Congress can reach an agreement to stop them.

1 impending   

a.imminent, about to come or happen

参考例句：

• Against a background of impending famine, heavy fighting took place. 即将发生饥荒之时，严重的战乱爆发了。
• The king convoke parliament to cope with the impending danger. 国王召开国会以应付迫近眉睫的危险。

2 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

3 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。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 sequester   

vt.使退隐，使隔绝

参考例句：

• Everything he owned was sequestered.他的所有财产都被扣押了。
• This jury is expected to be sequestered for at least two months.预计这个陪审团将至少被隔离两个月。

6 slash   

vi.大幅度削减；vt.猛砍，尖锐抨击，大幅减少；n.猛砍，斜线，长切口，衣衩

参考例句：

• The shop plans to slash fur prices after Spring Festival.该店计划在春节之后把皮货降价。
• Don't slash your horse in that cruel way.不要那样残忍地鞭打你的马。