美国经典英文演讲100篇:Brandenburg Gate Address(5)
Beginning 10 years ago, the Soviets challenged the Western alliance with a grave new threat, hundreds of new and more deadly SS-20 nuclear missiles capable of striking every capital in Europe. The Western alliance responded by committing itself to a counter-deployment (unless the Soviets agreed to negotiate a better solution)— namely, the elimination of such weapons on both sides. For many months, the Soviets refused to bargain in earnestness. As the alliance, in turn, prepared to go forward with its counter-deployment, there were difficult days, days of protests like those during my 1982 visit to this city; and the Soviets later walked away from the table.
But through it all, the alliance held firm. And I invite those who protested then — I invite those who protest today—to mark this fact: Because we remained strong, the Soviets came back to the table. Because we remained strong, today we have within reach the possibility, not merely of limiting the growth of arms, but of eliminating, for the first time, an entire class of nuclear weapons from the face of the earth.
As I speak, NATO ministers are meeting in Iceland to review the progress of our proposals for eliminating these weapons. At the talks in Geneva, we have also proposed deep cuts in strategic offensive weapons. And the Western allies have likewise made far-reaching proposals to reduce the danger of conventional war and to place a total ban on chemical weapons.
While we pursue these arms reductions, I pledge to you that we will maintain the capacity to deter Soviet aggression at any level at which it might occur. And in cooperation with many of our allies, the United States is pursuing the Strategic Defense Initiative— research to base deterrence not on the threat of offensive retaliation, but on defenses that truly defend; on systems, in short, that will not target populations, but shield them. By these means we seek to increase the safety of Europe and all the world. But we must remember a crucial fact: East and West do not mistrust each other because we are armed; we are armed because we mistrust each other. And our differences are not about weapons but about liberty. When President Kennedy spoke at the City Hall those 24 years ago, freedom was encircled; Berlin was under siege. And today, despite all the pressures upon this city, Berlin stands secure in its liberty. And freedom itself is transforming the globe.
In the Philippines, in South and Central America, democracy has been given a rebirth. Throughout the Pacific, free markets are working miracle after miracle of economic growth. In the industrialized nations, a technological revolution is taking place, a revolution marked by rapid, dramatic advances in computers and telecommunications.
10 年以前，苏联人用一次严重的新威胁挑战西方的联盟，数百个全新的及更致命SS -20核弹危胁着欧洲的每一个首都。而西方联盟的回答则是把自己交给反导部署来应对这一切，当然，这里仍有转机，那就是那些苏联人同意谈判，而不是武力。即双方面消除这样的武器。 这么多个月以来，那些苏联人在内心里对诚挚讨价还价!作为联盟，我们将依次准备实施反部署，有些困难的日子让我想起—在我的1982本市之行期间的那些一样的抗议的日子—那些苏联人离开了谈判桌。
但是总的来说，联盟将坚持住，并且我会邀请那时抗议的那些人—我会邀请今天抗议的这些人来表明这样一个事实，那就是我们强烈的希望苏联回到谈判桌上!我们仍然希望大家不仅仅是削减军备，而是不要再乱搞核武器。
当我讲话时，北约部长们正在冰岛会晤，评论我们的建议来消除这些武器的发展。在日内瓦的会谈中，我们就削减战略性进攻性武器进行了意见交换。并且西方的同盟者已经同样提出深远的提议来降低传统战争的危险并且将一项总禁令放于化学武器上。
我们继续这些裁减军备时，我向你们保证，我们将保持能力阻止苏联在任何程度上的侵略，我们保证!并且和我们的大多数同盟者合作，美国正追随战略防御计划—不基于制止冒犯和报复，而是在忠实捍卫上的真正捍卫；系统的讲，简而言之，那将不瞄准人类，而是保护他们。我们想办法以这个方法来增加欧洲和全世界的安全。但是我们必须记得一个残酷的事实：东方和西方不敢轻举妄动，是因为我们势均力敌；而我们势均力敌，又是因为我们彼此猜疑。而且更为重要的是，我们的分歧不是关于武器的，而是关于自由。当肯尼迪总统24 年前在市政厅演讲时，自由被包围，柏林被围攻。然而今天，尽管全部压力都在本市上，柏林仍然安全地站着在它的自由里。
在菲律宾，在南美和中美洲，民主已经重生。在整个太平洋地区，自由市场导致的经济增长奇迹一个接一个。在工业化国家，一次技术革命正在发生，一次以在计算机和电信方面的迅速发展为标志的革命正在出现!在欧洲，只有一个国家和它控制的那些地方拒绝参加自由， 然而在加倍的经济增长，信息和革新的这个年代，苏联面临着选择：它必须做基本的改变，否则它将变得过时。
1. alliance n. 结盟;联盟,同盟
In many countries the practical foundations of the Alliance were shaky.
在许多国家里，联盟的实际基础是不稳固的。
2. earnestness n. 认真;诚挚
When their job is done, thank them with great earnestness and sincerity.
当他们真的成功了，你再表示真心实意的感谢。
3. eliminate v. 排除,消除
But they can only marginally reduce, not eliminate the hazards.
但这也只是在一定程度上减少了，而不是消除了危险性。
4. strategic a. 关键的；战略上的
It was necessary to seize and control the main strategic points.
必须占领和控制主要的战略据点。
5. aggression n. 侵略
Is aggression an essential part of the human psyche?
损人利己是否是人心灵的主宰?
6. retaliation n. 复仇
I’d be glad of a retaliation that wouldn’t recoil on myself.
我喜欢一种不会牵累到我自己的报复。
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