2007年VOA标准英语-US Ponders Next Steps Toward Iran

By Bill Rodgers
Washington
22 August 2007
 

The International Atomic Energy Agency's next progress report on Iran's disputed nuclear program could very well determine whether the U.N. Security Council imposes a third set of sanctions against Tehran.  The IAEA report is expected in early September.  But in Washington a debate is raging now over whether diplomacy² has run its course and if bolder action is needed to block Iran's nuclear and regional ambitions.  More from VOA's Bill Rodgers.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei

IAEA officials met in Tehran in an effort to resolve issues surrounding Iran's uranium enrichment program.  Iran has ignored U.N. demands to stop the program, insisting it is geared only to produce electricity.  The United States and other western countries strongly suspect Tehran wants to build nuclear weapons.

The IAEA's conclusions on whether Iran is being more transparent³ may determine support for U.S. efforts to impose additional sanctions on Iran. 

John Calabrese is an Iran expert at the Middle East Institute in Washington. "If the IAEA report delivers a view or a set of findings that indicates that Iran has been uncooperative, then I think this builds a case for the United States politically to do, what at least some in the administration appear determined⁴ to do, which is to ratchet up the sanctions."

John Calabrese

But some say even this will not be enough to stop Iran's nuclear ambitions -- and a debate is underway at various Washington think tanks over whether stronger action, including the use of force, is needed to deter¹ Iran.

The hawks⁵ point out that despite U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's offer more than a year ago to talk to Iran, little progress has been made on the nuclear issue or in stopping Iran's Revolutionary Guards from supplying weapons to Iraqi insurgents⁶.  The former U.S. ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, is among those advocating a much tougher stance.

Patrick Clawson

Others, such as Patrick Clawson at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, have a more nuanced approach. "If Iranian agents on the ground are killing⁷ Americans, darn straight the United States can use force against them.  But the nuclear issue is an entirely⁸ different matter.  On that, so long as the Iranian nuclear program is only proceeding⁹ slowly and so long as diplomacy is making some progress, then we should not rush into the use of military force."

For now, imposing¹⁰ tougher U.N. sanctions on Iran appears to be the Bush administration's priority.  In March, the Security Council voted to freeze the overseas assets of certain individuals and organizations involved in Iran's nuclear program.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says the administration continues to view such measures as a valuable tool. "They have the force of international law. And more and more, you have seen a cloud gathering¹¹ over Iran and its dealings with the international financial community and the international business community."

But Iranian leaders may decide they have nothing to lose by waiting out the remaining 17 months of the Bush administration -- a move John Calabrese believes could be risky¹². "The administration's own time in office and its own difficulties politically may send a signal to the Iranians that they can stall, and they can buy time, and they can just wait us out.  And the wild card here is the degree of patience or sense of urgency that the administration has, or doesn't have, and the point at which they may feel compelled to take more coercive steps."

And the Bush administration has made clear it will not "tolerate" a nuclear armed Iran. 

1 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

2 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。

3 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。

4 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

5 hawks   

鹰( hawk的名词复数 )； 鹰派人物，主战派人物

参考例句：

• Two hawks were hover ing overhead. 两只鹰在头顶盘旋。
• Both hawks and doves have expanded their conditions for ending the war. 鹰派和鸽派都充分阐明了各自的停战条件。

6 insurgents   

n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The regular troops of Baden joined the insurgents. 巴登的正规军参加到起义军方面来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Against the Taliban and Iraqi insurgents, these problems are manageable. 要对付塔利班与伊拉克叛乱分子，这些问题还是可以把握住的。 来自互联网

7 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

8 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

9 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

10 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

11 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

12 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。