VOA常速英语2013--中东大规模杀伤性武器引起更大担忧

 

Concern Grows Over Middle East's WMD Arsenal 中东大规模杀伤性武器引起更大担忧

CAIRO — Efforts to secure Syria's chemical weapons and regulate Iran's nuclear program have again raised the idea of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction. But analysts¹ say regional rivalries² stand in the way.  

开罗 — 确保叙利亚化武安全和规范伊朗核计划的努力再次引发中东消除大规模杀伤性武器的想法。但分析人士们说，区域的争斗造成了障碍。

A U.N. mission to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons, and efforts to regulate Iran's nuclear program, have raised hopes the Middle East is on its way to limiting the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

一个消除叙利亚化学武器和管制伊朗核计划的联合国使团使中东即将限制大规模杀伤性武器威胁的希望有所增大。

But for political analysts like Professor Emad Shahin of the American University in Cairo, it's a long-standing, and long-odds, dream.

但对于伊马德.沙欣教授这样的政治分析家来说，这是一个旷日持久、充满变数的梦想。

“The region will be much better off it is chemical free and nuclear free." he said. "However, this has been on the table for decades.”

沙欣说: “实现无化武化和无核化，该地区情况会好得多。但是，这个问题已经放到谈判桌上几十年了。 “

Transparency is one of the obstacles. Iran dismisses Western accusations³ it is seeking nuclear weapons. Syria only confirmed its chemical stockpile when threatened with a U.S. missile strike.

透明度是障碍之一。伊朗驳斥西方说它正在寻求核武器的指责。叙利亚只是在受到美国导弹袭击的威胁时才证实其化学武器储备。

Egypt, Libya, Iraq and Iran are all believed to have chemical weapons, as is Israel, which also has unacknowledged nuclear capability⁴.

埃及、利比亚、伊拉克和伊朗都被认为拥有化学武器，如同以色列拥有尚未公开承认的核能力。

While piecemeal⁵ efforts to contain the threat are underway, political sociologist⁶ Said Sadek argues the problem should be looked at in its totality.

政治社会学家萨迪克认为，虽然控制威胁的零打碎敲的努力正在进行中，但这个问题应该整体来看。

“This has to be a joint⁷ effort by all participants," he said. "But as long as there is conflict, there is always justification⁸ for keeping the weapons.”

萨迪克说: “必须由所有参与者共同努力。但只要有冲突，总是有保持武器的理由。”

As with many issues in the region, debate often turns to Israel. Emad Shahin said, “There is a kind of a defense⁹ doctrine¹⁰ that has been imposed on the region, whether it is deliberate or not, but it's a de facto doctrine that Israel should be militarily superior to all its neighbors combined.”

正如讨论该地区的许多问题那样，辩论常常转向以色列。

The perception of a regional imbalance colors current efforts at disarmament, despite the apparent deterrence¹¹ such weapons imposed on Israel and Syria for decades. Again, Emad Shahin said, “Dismantling these arsenals¹² as a way of pressuring countries, while at the same time maintaining this strategic imbalance between regional powers, this is what really creates lots of problems.”

沙欣说：“有一种强加在地区的防御信条，无论是有意或无意，但它是一个事实上的信条，即在军事上，以色列应该比其所有邻国加在一起还要强。 ”该地区的力量对比失衡的看法影响着当前的裁军努力，尽管有这种武器让以色列和叙利亚几十年来承受的明显威慑。

So, too, argue some, is the way President Obama handled the Syrian crisis. backing down from strikes for the alleged¹³ use of chemical weapons by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, says Said Sadek, will encourage the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by others.

沙欣说: “拆除这些武库作为对相关国家施压的一种方式，同时保持这个地区大国之间的战略失衡，这确实造成很多问题。 ”

So, too, argue some, is the way President Obama handled the Syrian crisis. backing down from strikes for the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, says Said Sadek, will encourage the pursuit of weapons of mass destruction by others.

有些人认为，这也是美国总统奥巴马处理叙利亚危机的方式。开罗美国大学萨伊德.萨迪克说， 从对叙利亚总统巴沙尔.阿萨德涉嫌使用化学武器实施打击后退，将鼓励别人寻求大规模杀伤性武器。

"For Obama, he wanted face saving. He wanted new ways," he said. "There is no way you can solve Iran's nuclear program. And the credibility of the U.S. has been bruised¹⁴ with this Syrian chemical issue.  Assad got away with it."

萨迪克说: “对于奥巴马来说，他要保全面子。他想要新的方式。你没有办法能解决伊朗的核计划。美国的信誉被叙利亚的化武问题损伤了。阿萨德没事了。 ”

Although Iran maintains its nuclear program is solely¹⁵ for peaceful purposes, many in the region, not just Israel, are skeptical¹⁶.

尽管伊朗坚称其核计划完全用于和平目的，但该地区许多国家，不仅仅是以色列，都抱有怀疑。

“It can also push some countries like Egypt and also Saudi Arabia to seek their own nuclear programs and try to do some balance,” he said

萨迪克说: “这也会促使一些国家，譬如埃及和沙特阿拉伯，寻求自己的核计划，并尝试做一些平衡。 ”

It's a scenario¹⁷, Sadek says, that despite international efforts, could push the volatile¹⁸ region into an even greater arms race. 

萨迪克说，尽管有国际社会的努力，这样一个场景可能会把这个动荡的地区推向规模更大的军备竞赛。 

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

3 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

4 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

5 piecemeal   

adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块

参考例句：

• A lack of narrative drive leaves the reader with piecemeal vignettes.叙述缺乏吸引力，读者读到的只是一些支离破碎的片段。
• Let's settle the matter at one stroke,not piecemeal.把这事一气儿解决了吧，别零敲碎打了。

6 sociologist   

n.研究社会学的人，社会学家

参考例句：

• His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
• Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 justification   

n.正当的理由；辩解的理由

参考例句：

• There's no justification for dividing the company into smaller units. 没有理由把公司划分成小单位。
• In the young there is a justification for this feeling. 在年轻人中有这种感觉是有理由的。

9 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。

10 doctrine   

n.教义；主义；学说

参考例句：

• He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
• The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。

11 deterrence   

威慑，制止； 制止物，制止因素； 挽留的事物； 核威慑

参考例句：

• An extreme school of "disarmers" pronounced stable deterrence was a dangerous deception. “裁军论者”中的极端派声称，稳定的威摄是一种危险的骗局。
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。

12 arsenals   

n.兵工厂，军火库( arsenal的名词复数 )；任何事物的集成

参考例句：

• We possess-each of us-nuclear arsenals capable of annihilating humanity. 我们两国都拥有能够毁灭全人类的核武库。 来自辞典例句
• Arsenals are factories that produce weapons. 军工厂是生产武器的工厂。 来自互联网

13 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

14 bruised   

[医]青肿的，瘀紫的

参考例句：

• his bruised and bloodied nose 他沾满血的青肿的鼻子
• She had slipped and badly bruised her face. 她滑了一跤，摔得鼻青脸肿。

15 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

16 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

17 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

18 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。