2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Says US Should Take Lead in Dealing

By Sonja Pace
Jerusalem
12 April 2006

Israel has reacted cautiously to Iran's announcement that it has successfully enriched uranium. Israeli officials say the international community and especially the United States must take the lead in pressuring Iran to give up its nuclear ambitions.

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Israel has for some time warned of Iran's nuclear ambitions and the danger they pose.

Tuesday's announcement from Tehran raised the level of concern. 

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  
  
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proudly announced that Iran had successfully enriched uranium - the essential building block to produce both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons.

That development comes as no surprise, says Israeli lawmaker Yuval Steinitz, who heads the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense¹ Committee.

"I said three or four months ago that I assume this spring the Iranians will make such an achievement and such an announcement and now it should be clear and obvious that the Iranians are running to [toward developing] nuclear bombs if there will be no serious obstacles," said Steinitz.

Israeli officials dismiss Iran's assurances that it seeks only peaceful nuclear power and not weapons. Some have indicated that if the international community does not take a tougher approach toward Tehran, Israel might consider a unilateral military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities.

But Israel's military chief of staff, General Dan Halutz, cautioned against reaching, what he called "foregone conclusions." He said it will take some time before Iran achieves real nuclear capability² and much can change in the meantime. 

Shimon Peres    
  
Israeli political leader and elder statesman Shimon Peres called for patience and diplomacy³.

Peres told Israel Radio the United States is already taking the lead on this issue and he said Israel should hold back even in its rhetoric⁴.

So far, international diplomacy has not succeeded in stopping Iran's nuclear plans and recent American news reports have said that the Bush administration is studying military strike options against Iran's nuclear facilities.

U.S. officials were quick to describe those reports as mere⁵ speculation⁶.

"The United States of America is on a diplomatic track. That is the president's decision. That's where our European allies are," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Israeli lawmaker Yuval Steinitz doubts that diplomacy or even tough sanctions will be effective against Iran.

"They're so close to their goal to threaten not just the Middle East and Israel, but the entire world because now they're building missiles with the range of Europe already and the next generation [of missiles] will reach the east coast of the United States," he said. "I'm skeptical⁷ if they will give up due to pressure. Let's hope so."

Israel's own nuclear capability is often described as an "open secret." Israel will neither confirm nor deny that it has nuclear weapons, but outside experts believe it has 100 to 200 nuclear warheads in its arsenal⁸.

Steinitz says the threat of a nuclear Iran is serious enough to consider other options.

"I think the West, under the leadership of the United States, will have to consider also brute⁹ force in order to pre-empt and prevent a devastating¹⁰ threat to world peace - nuclear weapons in the hands of fundamentalist ayatollahs that are ready to sacrifice millions," he added.

But, says Steinitz, military force might not be necessary if Iran is convinced that such an option is under serious consideration. He says that could be the "big stick" that might make Tehran think twice.

1 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。

2 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。

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 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

6 speculation   

n.思索，沉思；猜测；投机

参考例句：

• Her mind is occupied with speculation.她的头脑忙于思考。
• There is widespread speculation that he is going to resign.人们普遍推测他要辞职。

7 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。

8 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

9 brute   

n.野兽，兽性

参考例句：

• The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
• That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。

10 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。