(单词翻译:单击)
中英文本
Trump Approves Strikes Against Iran but Delays Carrying Out the Attack.
特朗普下令打击伊朗 但推迟了打击的具体时间
By Michael D. Shear, Eric Schmitt, Michael Crowley and Maggie Haberman
文/迈克尔·希尔、埃里克·施密特、迈克尔·克劳利和玛吉·哈伯曼
WASHINGTON — President Trump approved military strikes against Iran in retaliation for downing an American surveillance drone,
华盛顿——因伊朗击落了一架美国无人侦察机，特朗普总统批准对伊朗进行军事打击，以示报复，
but pulled back from launching them on Thursday night after a day of escalating tensions.
然而，次日紧张局势不断升级，特朗普便于周四晚叫停了打击计划。
As late as 7 p.m., military and diplomatic officials were expecting a strike,
总统的高级国家安全官员和国会领导人在白宫就打击事宜展开了激烈的讨论和辩论，
after intense discussions and debate at the White House among the president’s top national security officials and congressional leaders,
一直到周四晚7点，美国军方和外交官员都在等待着袭击计划落地，
according to multiple senior administration officials involved in or briefed on the deliberations.
据多位参与或听取了讨论简报的高级政府官员透露。
Officials said the president had initially approved attacks on a handful of Iranian targets, like radar and missile batteries.
他们说，总统最初批准要对包括雷达和导弹发射台在内的多个目标实施打击。
The operation was underway in its early stages when it was called off, a senior administration official said.
取消命令发出时行动之箭已经离弦，所幸尚处于早期阶段，一名高级政府官员透露。
Planes were in the air and ships were in position,
这位官员称，当时，海，空方面都已经就位，
but no missiles had been fired when word came to stand down, the official said.
只是尚且还未发射导弹。
The abrupt reversal put a halt to what would have been the president’s third military action against targets in the Middle East.
这一突然的逆转终止了总统就任以来针对中东目标实施的第三次军事打击行动。
Mr. Trump had struck twice at targets in Syria, in 2017 and 2018.
2017年到2018年间，特朗普就已经两度打击叙利亚境内的目标。
It was not clear whether Mr. Trump simply changed his mind on the strikes
这次取消究竟是总统自己改变了对打击的看法，
or whether the administration altered course because of logistics or strategy.
还是政府出于运筹或战略方面的原因改变了计划，目前尚不清楚。
It was also not clear whether the attacks might still go forward.
袭击是否还会重启也未可知。
Asked about the plans for a strike and the decision to hold back,
当被问及打击计划和取消打击的决定时，
the White House declined to comment, as did Pentagon officials.
白宫和五角大楼官员一样拒绝置评。
No government officials asked The New York Times to withhold the article.
没有任何政府官员要求本报搁置这篇文章。
The retaliation plan was intended as a response to the shooting down of the unmanned, $130 million surveillance drone,
特朗普此次的报复计划是在回应周四早晨，一架价值1.3亿美元的无人侦察机
which was struck Thursday morning by an Iranian surface-to-air missile,
被伊朗的地对空导弹击落一事，
according to a senior administration official who was briefed on the military planning
据一位听取了有关这次军事行动的汇报的高级政府官员透露，
and spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential plans.
因为讨论的是机密计划，该官员要求本文为他匿名。
The strike was set to take place just before dawn Friday in Iran to minimize risk to the Iranian military and civilians.
袭击原定于周五黎明前开始实施，旨在将对伊朗军队和伊朗平民的风险降到最低。
But military officials received word a short time later that the strike was off, at least temporarily.
但不久军方官员就又得到消息，称打击计划取消，起码已经暂时取消。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
重点讲解
1. pull back from 撤回；退出
Plato's purpose was to warn his fellow Athenians to pull back from the precipice created by war and wealth.
柏拉图的目的，是要警告他的雅典同胞，在战争和财富创造的追求上悬崖勒马。
2. stand down 暂时停止
We need an outside arbiter to ask one of the machines to stand down.
我们需要一个外部仲裁程序来要求其中一个节点暂时停止运行。
3. put a halt to 停止
A State Council meeting chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao has put a halt to new nuclear construction and approval.
温家宝总理主持召开的一次国务院会议已决定暂停新核电项目的建设和审批。
4. speak on the condition of anonymity 不愿透露姓名地；要求匿名地
A Western official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the attack made the talk of a peace deal with the Taliban seem "absurd. "
一个不愿透露姓名的西方官员表示，这次袭击使与塔利班的和谈变得“荒谬”。
