练练手，翻译了一篇新加坡海峡时报的评论：水上的界线标 ...

请各位指教，原文在：
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/commentary/story/0,4386,270438,00.html?


水上的界线标志了亚洲新的力量平衡
Richard Halloran

今天的东亚正在逐步绘制一条水上的界线，起始于日本和韩国之间的海洋，穿越东中国海和台湾海峡，直到南中国海。
界线的东面有：美国，它已经开始把它在亚洲的军事力量连成一个整体；日本，它正蜕落从二战后就包裹自己的和平主义茧壳；还有台湾，美国与这个岛屿的军事联系已经在静悄悄地扩大。
界线的西面有：中国，即将成为军事，经济和政治大国；还有中国的盟国，为贫穷所困扰但是从军事角度看是危险的北朝鲜。它们都希望美国从亚洲撤出其军队和影响。
南朝鲜和菲律宾在这个结构中的定位仍然是一个需要研究的问题。尽管在古代历史问题上与北京发生了争执，被反美主义驱使的南朝鲜已经在向中国倾斜。面对恐怖主义的勒索而从伊拉克撤走士兵后，菲律宾已经在美国那里失宠。
另外一个问题是俄罗斯的角色。当俄国人试图重振其在亚洲的影响时，俄罗斯欧洲部分的问题已经让他们应接不暇，与此同时他们的太平洋舰队正在港湾里生锈。
没有一个华盛顿或者北京的战略思想家故意画出这条水上界线。相反，它的形成表明亚洲新的力量平衡正在成形。虽然如此，界线两边的双方都必须应付一场战略竞争，如果他们不想把它转化为对抗或者公开的冲突。
日本作为坚定盟友的形象对美国的战略思考有着微妙的影响。美国陆军第一军今年秋天从西雅图迁到东京西南的座间军营后，日本将成为美军所有四个军种的前进司令部所在地。
美国海军，海军陆战队和空军已经在日本拥有司令部。美国计划为其太平洋舰队增加第七艘航空母舰，同时部署更多的海上和空中力量以保持在亚洲的存在。以横须贺为基地的小鹰号2008年退役，取代它的很有可能是一艘更大的核动力航母。
尽管一些基地会被合并以减少日本人和美国人之间的分歧，美军在全球重新部署时，驻日本的军力将只会略微降低。离开亚洲的地面部队主要是基地在南朝鲜的37000人中的12500人。
日本对于集体防卫问题和修改或者重新解释宪法第九条，即著名的不战条款的行动有了新的，赞成的态度，这是发生根本性改变的迹象。日本向伊拉克派遣部队开了一个先例，日本对加入美国的导弹防御系统也明显显示了兴趣。
引起日本蜕落其战后茧壳的催化剂是北朝鲜，它发射过飞越日本上空的导弹，开始获取核武装，并且在日本自己的海岸绑架日本公民。此外，日本对于中国的敌意表现得日益警惕。
在台湾，美国观察员被派来观察演习，讨论军队的命令和控制，敦促台湾的军队更好地协同工作。台湾的军官偶尔会访问檀香山以接触这里的美国太平洋司令部。
这条界线的中心是驻有许多美军基地的日本冲绳岛，这场竞争开展后，这些基地将会变得更加重要。指挥太平洋美国海军陆战队的华莱士·格雷松中将说，原因是由于“远方的暴政”。
“那霸离马尼拉和上海比离东京更近，离河内比离北海道更近”，谈到冲绳首府的时候他说道，“没有一个地方如此靠近如此多的不同的重要地方，没有其它单一地点能给美军提供实现其决定性角色的可能性”。
那霸日益增长的重要性急迫要求减缓由诸如最近的美军直升机坠毁之类的偶发事件所引起的摩擦。那次事件没有造成人员死亡，但是激怒了许多冲绳人。
美国官员已经开始寻找新的方法来减缓反对美军基地的压力。一个可能是：把这些基地转交给日本，美军的角色转为租借人。“日本和美国军队经常共同行动……生活在一起，”一个军官说，“我们现在在演习时就这么做，效果很好。我们为什么不在驻防时也这么做呢？”


作者为前纽约时报驻亚洲的国外记者和驻华盛顿的军事记者，文发自檀香山


原文：

Line in water marks Asia's new balance of power
By Richard Halloran

IN EAST Asia today, a line is gradually being drawn in the water, starting in the sea between Japan and Korea and running south through the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea.
East of this line are the United States, which has started streamlining its military forces in Asia; Japan, which is shedding the pacifist cocoon in which it wrapped itself after World War II; and Taiwan, the island with which the US has been quietly expanding military connections.
West of the line are China, swiftly emerging as a military, economic and political power; and its ally, poverty-stricken but militarily dangerous North Korea. Both want the US to withdraw its forces and influence from Asia.
Where South Korea and the Philippines fit into this formation is open to question. South Korea, driven by anti-Americanism, has been leaning towards China despite disputes with Beijing over ancient history. The Philippines has lost favour with the US after withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq in the face of terrorist blackmail.
Still another question is the role of Russia. While the Russians have been seeking to revive their influence in Asia, they have been preoccupied with problems in European Russia while their Pacific fleet lies rusting at anchor.
No strategic thinker in Washington or Beijing has deliberately drawn this line in the water. Rather, it has evolved as a new balance of power in Asia has taken shape. Even so, it is across this line that both sides must manage a strategic competition if it is not to turn into confrontation or open conflict.
Japan's emergence as a sturdy ally appears to have had a subtle effect on US strategic thinking. Japan will become the site of forward headquarters for all four US military services when the Army's I Corps moves from Seattle to Camp Zama, south-west of Tokyo, in the autumn.
The navy, marines and air force already have headquarters in Japan. The US plans to add a seventh aircraft carrier to its Pacific fleet as it turns more to sea and air power to maintain a presence in Asia. A larger, nuclear-powered carrier will most likely replace Kitty Hawk, based in Yokosuka, Japan, when that ship retires in 2008.
As the US redeploys forces worldwide, Japan will experience only a slight drawdown although some bases will be consolidated to reduce discord between Japanese and Americans. The main ground contingent to leave Asia will be 12,500 out of 37,000 troops based in South Korea.
Evidence of the fundamental change in Japan is seen in a new, favourable attitude towards collective defence and moves to revise or re-interpret Article 9, the famed 'no-war' clause of the Constitution. The deployment of Japanese troops to Iraq has set a precedent and Japan has shown definite interest in joining the US in missile defence.
The catalyst that has caused Japan to shed its post-war cocoon has been North Korea, which has fired missiles over Japan, set about acquiring nuclear arms and abducted Japanese citizens from their own shores. In addition, the Japanese appear to be increasingly wary of Chinese hostility.
In Taiwan, American observers have been sent to observe exercises, to discuss command and control, and to urge Taiwanese forces to work better together. Taiwanese officers occasionally visit Honolulu to meet the US Pacific Command here.
In the centre of this line is the Japanese island of Okinawa, site of US bases that will become more important as this competition unfolds. Lieutenant-General Wallace Gregson, who commands US Marines in the Pacific, says the reason is the 'tyranny of distance'.
'Naha is closer to Manila and Shanghai than to Tokyo, and closer to Hanoi than to Hokkaido,' he says, referring to the capital of Okinawa. 'No place else is so close to so many other important places, no other single location would permit US forces to carry out their crucial role.'
The increasing importance of Okinawa lends urgency to efforts to mitigate frictions generated by incidents like the recent crash of a US helicopter there. No one was killed but many Okinawans were angered.
US officials have begun looking for new ways to ease anti-base pressures. One possibility: Turn the bases over to Japan and relegate US forces to being tenants. 'Japanese and American troops often operate together... live together,' says one officer. 'We do it on exercises now, and it works. Why not do it when we're in garrison?'

The writer, formerly with The New York Times as a foreign correspondent in Asia and military correspondent in Washington, writes from Honolulu.
请各位指教，原文在：
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/commentary/story/0,4386,270438,00.html?


水上的界线标志了亚洲新的力量平衡
Richard Halloran

今天的东亚正在逐步绘制一条水上的界线，起始于日本和韩国之间的海洋，穿越东中国海和台湾海峡，直到南中国海。
界线的东面有：美国，它已经开始把它在亚洲的军事力量连成一个整体；日本，它正蜕落从二战后就包裹自己的和平主义茧壳；还有台湾，美国与这个岛屿的军事联系已经在静悄悄地扩大。
界线的西面有：中国，即将成为军事，经济和政治大国；还有中国的盟国，为贫穷所困扰但是从军事角度看是危险的北朝鲜。它们都希望美国从亚洲撤出其军队和影响。
南朝鲜和菲律宾在这个结构中的定位仍然是一个需要研究的问题。尽管在古代历史问题上与北京发生了争执，被反美主义驱使的南朝鲜已经在向中国倾斜。面对恐怖主义的勒索而从伊拉克撤走士兵后，菲律宾已经在美国那里失宠。
另外一个问题是俄罗斯的角色。当俄国人试图重振其在亚洲的影响时，俄罗斯欧洲部分的问题已经让他们应接不暇，与此同时他们的太平洋舰队正在港湾里生锈。
没有一个华盛顿或者北京的战略思想家故意画出这条水上界线。相反，它的形成表明亚洲新的力量平衡正在成形。虽然如此，界线两边的双方都必须应付一场战略竞争，如果他们不想把它转化为对抗或者公开的冲突。
日本作为坚定盟友的形象对美国的战略思考有着微妙的影响。美国陆军第一军今年秋天从西雅图迁到东京西南的座间军营后，日本将成为美军所有四个军种的前进司令部所在地。
美国海军，海军陆战队和空军已经在日本拥有司令部。美国计划为其太平洋舰队增加第七艘航空母舰，同时部署更多的海上和空中力量以保持在亚洲的存在。以横须贺为基地的小鹰号2008年退役，取代它的很有可能是一艘更大的核动力航母。
尽管一些基地会被合并以减少日本人和美国人之间的分歧，美军在全球重新部署时，驻日本的军力将只会略微降低。离开亚洲的地面部队主要是基地在南朝鲜的37000人中的12500人。
日本对于集体防卫问题和修改或者重新解释宪法第九条，即著名的不战条款的行动有了新的，赞成的态度，这是发生根本性改变的迹象。日本向伊拉克派遣部队开了一个先例，日本对加入美国的导弹防御系统也明显显示了兴趣。
引起日本蜕落其战后茧壳的催化剂是北朝鲜，它发射过飞越日本上空的导弹，开始获取核武装，并且在日本自己的海岸绑架日本公民。此外，日本对于中国的敌意表现得日益警惕。
在台湾，美国观察员被派来观察演习，讨论军队的命令和控制，敦促台湾的军队更好地协同工作。台湾的军官偶尔会访问檀香山以接触这里的美国太平洋司令部。
这条界线的中心是驻有许多美军基地的日本冲绳岛，这场竞争开展后，这些基地将会变得更加重要。指挥太平洋美国海军陆战队的华莱士·格雷松中将说，原因是由于“远方的暴政”。
“那霸离马尼拉和上海比离东京更近，离河内比离北海道更近”，谈到冲绳首府的时候他说道，“没有一个地方如此靠近如此多的不同的重要地方，没有其它单一地点能给美军提供实现其决定性角色的可能性”。
那霸日益增长的重要性急迫要求减缓由诸如最近的美军直升机坠毁之类的偶发事件所引起的摩擦。那次事件没有造成人员死亡，但是激怒了许多冲绳人。
美国官员已经开始寻找新的方法来减缓反对美军基地的压力。一个可能是：把这些基地转交给日本，美军的角色转为租借人。“日本和美国军队经常共同行动……生活在一起，”一个军官说，“我们现在在演习时就这么做，效果很好。我们为什么不在驻防时也这么做呢？”


作者为前纽约时报驻亚洲的国外记者和驻华盛顿的军事记者，文发自檀香山


原文：

Line in water marks Asia's new balance of power
By Richard Halloran

IN EAST Asia today, a line is gradually being drawn in the water, starting in the sea between Japan and Korea and running south through the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea.
East of this line are the United States, which has started streamlining its military forces in Asia; Japan, which is shedding the pacifist cocoon in which it wrapped itself after World War II; and Taiwan, the island with which the US has been quietly expanding military connections.
West of the line are China, swiftly emerging as a military, economic and political power; and its ally, poverty-stricken but militarily dangerous North Korea. Both want the US to withdraw its forces and influence from Asia.
Where South Korea and the Philippines fit into this formation is open to question. South Korea, driven by anti-Americanism, has been leaning towards China despite disputes with Beijing over ancient history. The Philippines has lost favour with the US after withdrawing its soldiers from Iraq in the face of terrorist blackmail.
Still another question is the role of Russia. While the Russians have been seeking to revive their influence in Asia, they have been preoccupied with problems in European Russia while their Pacific fleet lies rusting at anchor.
No strategic thinker in Washington or Beijing has deliberately drawn this line in the water. Rather, it has evolved as a new balance of power in Asia has taken shape. Even so, it is across this line that both sides must manage a strategic competition if it is not to turn into confrontation or open conflict.
Japan's emergence as a sturdy ally appears to have had a subtle effect on US strategic thinking. Japan will become the site of forward headquarters for all four US military services when the Army's I Corps moves from Seattle to Camp Zama, south-west of Tokyo, in the autumn.
The navy, marines and air force already have headquarters in Japan. The US plans to add a seventh aircraft carrier to its Pacific fleet as it turns more to sea and air power to maintain a presence in Asia. A larger, nuclear-powered carrier will most likely replace Kitty Hawk, based in Yokosuka, Japan, when that ship retires in 2008.
As the US redeploys forces worldwide, Japan will experience only a slight drawdown although some bases will be consolidated to reduce discord between Japanese and Americans. The main ground contingent to leave Asia will be 12,500 out of 37,000 troops based in South Korea.
Evidence of the fundamental change in Japan is seen in a new, favourable attitude towards collective defence and moves to revise or re-interpret Article 9, the famed 'no-war' clause of the Constitution. The deployment of Japanese troops to Iraq has set a precedent and Japan has shown definite interest in joining the US in missile defence.
The catalyst that has caused Japan to shed its post-war cocoon has been North Korea, which has fired missiles over Japan, set about acquiring nuclear arms and abducted Japanese citizens from their own shores. In addition, the Japanese appear to be increasingly wary of Chinese hostility.
In Taiwan, American observers have been sent to observe exercises, to discuss command and control, and to urge Taiwanese forces to work better together. Taiwanese officers occasionally visit Honolulu to meet the US Pacific Command here.
In the centre of this line is the Japanese island of Okinawa, site of US bases that will become more important as this competition unfolds. Lieutenant-General Wallace Gregson, who commands US Marines in the Pacific, says the reason is the 'tyranny of distance'.
'Naha is closer to Manila and Shanghai than to Tokyo, and closer to Hanoi than to Hokkaido,' he says, referring to the capital of Okinawa. 'No place else is so close to so many other important places, no other single location would permit US forces to carry out their crucial role.'
The increasing importance of Okinawa lends urgency to efforts to mitigate frictions generated by incidents like the recent crash of a US helicopter there. No one was killed but many Okinawans were angered.
US officials have begun looking for new ways to ease anti-base pressures. One possibility: Turn the bases over to Japan and relegate US forces to being tenants. 'Japanese and American troops often operate together... live together,' says one officer. 'We do it on exercises now, and it works. Why not do it when we're in garrison?'

The writer, formerly with The New York Times as a foreign correspondent in Asia and military correspondent in Washington, writes from Honolulu.
[此贴子已经被作者于2004-9-3 1:25:40编辑过]