VOA常速英语2013--沙特援助可能会影响美国的削减援助威胁

 

沙特援助可能会影响美国的削减援助威胁

STATE DEPARTMENT — The Obama administration is reviewing aid to Egypt's military-led government, hoping to use that assistance to influence events in Cairo. But that leverage¹ may be undermined by Saudi Arabia's vow² to make up for any Western aid cuts.

Anger over U.S. aid to Egypt's military has spread from Indonesia... to Washington, where Egyptian-Americans protested outside Egypt's embassy here.

从印尼到华盛顿，人们纷纷对美国为埃及军方提供援助感到愤怒，埃及裔美国人在埃及使馆外表示抗议。

"I want President Obama to do the minimum, to recognize that it’s a coup³, to recognize human rights violations⁴ that have been going on. To stop acting⁵ like nothing’s going wrong. He hasn’t come out, he hasn’t stopped the aid to Egypt," said Hesham Hassanin, an Egyptian-American.

“我希望总统奥巴马起码做出些最需要做的事，承认这是一场政变，承认埃及正发生人权侵犯行为。不要继续若无其事了，他并没有走出来，没有阻止对埃及的援助。”埃及裔美国人Hesham Hassanin如是说。

U.S. military aid to Egypt amounts to $1.3 billion per year.

美国军方向埃及提供的援助为每年13亿美元。

The president's opponents say not cutting off that aid weakens U.S. leadership. Arizona Senator John McCain:

总统的反对者称，不断绝援助将会损害美国的领导地位。亚利桑那州议员约翰·麦凯恩说：

"The United States has influence. But if the United States doesn't use that influence, then it has no influence. So far, the United States has sent a very very mixed message to the people who have caused mayhem in the streets of Cairo and Egypt," said McCain.

“美国具有影响力，但如果美国不使用这份影响力，那就没有了影响力。到目前为止，美国对那些导致开罗和整个埃及街头混乱的人传递的是非常复杂的信号。”

Threats to cut U.S. aid may be undermined by Saudi Arabia's promise to cover any losses. Riyadh has said it will stand with Egypt against terrorism, a veiled reference to the Muslim Brotherhood⁶. It says it opposes those who are trying to interfere⁷ in Egyptian affairs. Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal:

沙特承诺，如果美国断绝援助，将会为埃及弥补一切损失，因此美国威胁的力量大大削减。沙特称将支持埃及反对恐怖主义，这是在隐指穆斯林兄弟会，称反对那些试图干预埃及国事的任何人。外长费萨尔说：

"I do not think that pressure on Egypt would work or help in restoring peace and national security," said al-Faisal.

“我认为对埃及施压不会帮助恢复和平和国家安定。”

Saudi Arabia is stepping in to help Egypt's military because the United States is not, says former U.S. ambassador Adam Ereli.

美国大使亚当·艾瑞里沙特说，沙特之所以介入帮助埃及军方，是因为美国没有提供帮助。

"They see two things: A lack of U.S. leadership and a lack of what I would call U.S. constancy," said Ereli.

“他们看到两个问题：一是美国领导权的缺失，一是缺少所谓美国的一致性。”

Ereli says Saudi leaders are reacting to how quickly the United States abandoned long-time ally Hosni Mubarak.

艾瑞里说沙特的领导人们是在对美国很快抛弃长期盟友侯赛因·穆巴拉克做出的反应。

"If you're a long-ruling monarch⁸ in the Gulf⁹, or anywhere in the Middle East, you are going, 'Holy Cow! What happened? America, my ally, just threw Hosni Mubarak under the bus," he said. "Am I next?'

“如果你是长期执政的海湾或中东哪个国家的君主，你会说，‘天啊，怎么回事？美国，我的盟友，将侯赛因·穆巴拉克扔到公车下，我是下一个吗？’”

U.S. officials say Washington will base its aid decision on its national security interests. State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki:

美国官方称华盛顿的援助决定将取决于本国的安全利益，国务院女发言人简·柏莎琪说：

"We’ve worked with a range of regional partners who have supported different sides or both sides in this - these issues going on in Egypt and will continue to do that. But we’ll make our own decisions here, based on our own national security interests, our own concerns about regional stability," said Psaki.

“我们一直与多个地区伙伴进行合作并将继续保持合作，这些伙伴支持埃及国内不同派别或冲突的双方。但我们的决定将取决于我们自身的国家安全利益，我们自身对地区稳定的考虑。”

Egyptian Finance Minister Ahmed Galal says Saudi support insulates Cairo against possible U.S. aid cuts - though some news reports indicate Egypt would be unable to buy American weaponry or military equipment with Saudi money because Washington would block such purchases.

埃及财长Ahmed Galal说，沙特使得埃及免受美国可能的援助削减的影响，尽管一些新闻报道显示，埃及可能不会用沙特的资金购买美国的武器或军事装备，因为华盛顿将阻扰此类购买行为。

1 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

2 vow   

n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓

参考例句：

• My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿，每星期日都去做礼拜。
• I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。

3 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

4 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

5 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

6 brotherhood   

n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊

参考例句：

• They broke up the brotherhood.他们断绝了兄弟关系。
• They live and work together in complete equality and brotherhood.他们完全平等和兄弟般地在一起生活和工作。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 monarch   

n.帝王，君主，最高统治者

参考例句：

• The monarch's role is purely ceremonial.君主纯粹是个礼仪职位。
• I think myself happier now than the greatest monarch upon earth.我觉得这个时候比世界上什么帝王都快乐。

9 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。