VOA慢速英语2019 美伊争端引发对中东军事基地关注（在线收听）

US-Iran Dispute Brings Attention to Military Bases in Middle East

The United States has increased its number of navy ship patrols in the Persian Gulf and Iran’s international nuclear weapons deal is collapsing. The situation has centered increasing attention on the presence of American and other military forces in the Persian Gulf area.

美国增加了海军舰艇在波斯湾的巡逻次数，伊朗的国际核武器协议开始瓦解。这种情况使人们越来越关注美国等国在波斯湾地区的军事存在。

As relations between the two countries worsen, attention is once again on foreign military bases in the Middle East.

随着美国和伊朗两国关系恶化，中东地区的外国军事基地再次受到关注。

The U.S. has stationed some 14,000 troops in Afghanistan to support the war there. Another 8,000 there are North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, forces.

美国在阿富汗驻扎了大约1.4万士兵以支持作战。那里另外还有8000名北约士兵。

The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, which operates throughout the Middle East, is based in Bahrain. The island nation is home to over 7,000 American troops. Sheikh Isa Air Base there also houses American fighter planes, spy aircraft and a U.S. special forces operations center. The U.S. considers the island a “major non-NATO ally.”

负责整个中东地区的美国海军第五舰队的总部设在巴林。这个岛国驻扎了7千多名美国士兵。谢赫伊萨空军基地还部署了美国战斗机、间谍飞机以及一处美国特种部队作战中心。美国认为这个岛国是“非北约成员身份的重要盟友。”

Meanwhile, Britain has just opened its first military base east of the Suez Canal since 1971 in Bahrain.

与此同时，英国刚刚在巴林的苏伊士运河以东开放了自1971年撤出中东以来的首个军事基地。

In Iraq, the U.S. has stationed some 5,000 troops following the war against the Islamic State group there.

在伊拉克方面，美国在对伊斯兰国战争之后，在伊拉克派驻了大约5千名士兵。

The small, oil-rich nation of Kuwait is home to over 13,000 American troops and the U.S. Army's Central forward headquarters. Kuwait also holds forces and equipment at two air bases and a naval base in the country. Kuwait International Airport houses the U.S. military’s largest air logistics center in the Middle East. Some 2,200 American vehicles are stationed there. The U.S. also considers Kuwait a “major non-NATO ally.”

石油资源丰富的小国家科威特驻有超过1.3万名美国士兵以及美国陆军中央前线总部。科威特在该国的两个空军基地和一个海军基地也拥有部队和装备。科威特国际机场还部署了美军在中东地区最大的航空物流中心。大约有2200辆美军车辆驻扎在那里。美国也认为科威特是“非北约成员身份的重要盟友。”

A few hundred members of the U.S. military are based in Oman. The country permits the U.S. military to visit its ports and fly aircraft overhead. America signed a new port access agreement with Oman this year, and Britain has signed a deal to build a naval base in the country.

有数百名美军驻扎在阿曼。该国允许美军访问港口以及进入领空。美国今年同阿曼签署了一项新的港口准入协议，英国也同该国签署了建立海军基地的协议。

The forward headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central Command is at Qatar’s huge Al Udeid Air Base, home to up to 13,000 American troops. The U.S. has recently positioned B-52 bomber airplanes able to carry nuclear weapons at the base since relations with Iran started to worsen. Qatar plans to further expand the base.

美军中央总部前线司令部位于卡塔尔的乌代德空军基地，这里驻有高达1.3万名美军。由于与伊朗关系开始恶化，美国最近在该基地部署了可以携带核武器的B52轰炸机。卡塔尔计划进一步扩大该基地。

Turkey also has its own military base in the country. This displeases the leaders of Saudi Arabia, which sees Turkey as competition for influence in the Middle East.

土耳其在该国也有自己的军事基地。这使得视土耳其为中东影响力竞争对手的沙特阿拉伯的领导人感到不满。

The U.S. pulled troops out of Saudi Arabia after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks and the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For years, Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden was critical of the presence of American forces there.

在2001年9月11日恐怖袭击以及2003年入侵伊拉克之后，美国从沙特阿拉伯撤军。基地组织领导人奥萨马·本拉登多年来曾一直批评美军在沙特的存在。

This summer, U.S. officials said fighter aircraft, air defense missiles and likely more than 500 American troops would return to Riyadh’s Prince Sultan Air Base. Officials said this is due to the increased tensions with Iran. U.S. special operations troops also reportedly have assisted Saudi forces along its border with war-torn Yemen.

美国官员今年夏天表示，美军战斗机、防空导弹以及可能超过500名美国士兵将会重返利雅得的苏丹王子空军基地。有关官员表示，这是由于与伊朗的紧张局势有所加剧。据报道，美国特种作战部队沿着沙特与饱受战争蹂躏的也门的边境在协助沙特部队作战。

The nation of Dubai’s Jebel Ali port in the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, is the largest port of call for the U.S. Navy outside of America. The UAE houses 5,000 members of the U.S. military, many at Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Air Base. This base is also where American drones and F-35 fighter planes are stationed. The U.S. Navy keeps a small base in Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman. France also keeps its own navy base in Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital.

阿联酋迪拜的杰贝阿里港是美军海外最大的停靠港口。阿联酋驻有5千名美军，其中大多数人驻扎在阿布扎比的哈弗拉空军基地。这个基地也驻有美军无人机以及F35战斗机。美军在阿曼湾的富查伊拉设有一个小基地。法国也在阿联酋首都阿布扎比拥有自己的海军基地。

I’m Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

patrol(s) – n. a group of people or vehicles that go through an area to make sure that it is safe

station(ed) – v. to assign someone to a station or position

headquarters – n. a place from which something, such as a business or a military action, is controlled or directed

logistics – n. the things that must be done to plan and organize a complicated activity or event that involves many people

access – n. permission or the right to enter, get near, or make use of something or to have contact with someone

tension(s) – n. a state in which people, groups, or countries disagree with and feel anger toward each other

drone(s) – n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot