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沙特和美国关系受重伤

Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United States are causing a severe strain on what has been a rock-solid relationship. Saudi officials are expressing anger and concern over America’s evolving policies in the Middle East.

沙特阿拉伯和美国之间的紧张关系给原本坚固的两国关系带来严重损伤。沙特官员对美国中东政策的发展变化表示愤怒和担忧。

Saudi government officials are fuming¹ over U.S. policy regarding the bloody² Syrian civil war.

沙特政府官员不满美国对叙利亚血腥内战所采取的政策。

In Egypt, the Saudis are supporting the military-backed government.

沙特官员支持有军方背景的埃及政府。

While the United States is suspending hundreds of millions of dollars in aid following the coup³ which ousted⁴ president Mohamed Morsi.

而在埃及军事政变推翻穆尔西总统后，美国暂停了对埃及政府的巨额援助。

But mostly the Saudis are worried about the military strength of arch-rival Iran.

不过沙特更担心的是劲敌伊朗的军事力量。

And a possible thaw⁵ in relations between Washington and Tehran over the country’s controversial nuclear program.

以及华盛顿和德黑兰在有争议的核项目上关系解冻的可能性。

Clifford May is president of the Foundation for Defense⁶ of Democracies:

克利福德?梅是保卫民主基金会主席。

“The signs are that the Saudis are angry, that they are exasperated⁷, that they are frustrated⁸ and I think if you had to come down to a one line reason why, it is because the U.S. is not showing leadership in the Middle East at this moment," said May.

他说：“沙特很气愤，他们被激怒，他们很沮丧，我想，如果你要找出一条理由，那就是因为在这个时刻，美国没有在中东发挥领导作用。”

Riyadh is unhappy the U.S. has not been more aggressive in arming the Syrian rebels.

美国没有更积极地为叙利亚反政府力量提供武装，让利雅得不满。

And the Saudis complained about the White House decision to embrace an agreement to remove Syria’s chemical weaponw - rather than launch a cruise missile strike against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who now appears to be in a stronger position.

沙特不满白宫支持销毁叙利亚化学武器的协议，而不用巡航导弹打击叙利亚总统阿萨德政府。现在，阿萨德似乎处于一个更牢固的地位。

“I don’t see any obstacles to being nominated to run in the next elections," said Assad.

叙利亚总统阿萨德说：“我认为，提名我参加下一届大选没有任何障碍。”

Riyadh even rejected a seat on the U.N. Security Council, citing its lack of success in resolving conflicts in the Middle East.

利雅得甚至拒绝接受联合国安理会席位，表示安理会在解决中东冲突问题上很不成功。

Middle East analyst⁹ Hany Al-Gamal: “It actually wants the international community to know that Saudi Arabia, as a well-off country and a significant regional power, should have a say on the issue of the Syria crisis, and no one should impose their own views on others," said Al-Gamal.

中东问题分析人士汉尼?盖马尔说： “沙特希望国际社会明白，沙特是一个富裕国家，是一个重要的地区力量，在叙利亚危机上应该有发言权，没有人可以把自己的观点强加于人。”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says he understands the Saudis' disappointment with some of Washington’s decisions, but says the allies are working together.

美国国务卿克里说，他知道沙特对华盛顿的某些决定感到失望，可是他说，盟国正在一起努力。

“And I am convinced we are on the same page as we are proceeding¹⁰ forward, and I look forward to working very closely with our Saudi friends and allies," said Kerry.

克里说： “我相信，我们在向前的进程中是一致的，我期待着跟沙特朋友和盟国的密切合作。”

Riyadh is most concerned about the Obama’s administration’s potential for warmer relations with Iran, following a highly symbolic¹¹ phone call between the U.S. president and his new Iranian counterpart.

美国总统和伊朗新总统进行了具有高度象征性意义的电话通话后，利雅得最担心的是奥巴马政府有和伊朗改善关系的可能性。

Again, Clifford May: “The Saudis depend on U.S. leadership in that region and they see the alternative, frankly¹² as the rise of Iran as a bully¹³, a hegemon, eventually, maybe sooner rather than later, a nuclear-armed master of the Middle East," he said.

克利福德?梅说：“沙特依赖于美国在这个地区的领导作用，坦率地说，他们认为伊朗的崛起是一个霸凌和霸权，最终，可能不久就会成为拥有核武器的中东主宰。”

Analysts¹⁴ say it is too early to know whether Saudi Arabia’s anger with Washington is a diplomatic spat¹⁵ or a significant split in bilateral¹⁶ relations.

分析家说，沙特阿拉伯对华盛顿的不满是一场外交纠纷，还是双边关系严重分裂，现在判断还为时过早。