【英语国际】美国考虑向伊朗传递新信号

Complaints from Israel about the U.S.'s public engagement over Iran have pushed the White House to consider more forcefully outlining possible military actions, and the 'red lines' Iran must not cross, as soon as this weekend, according to people familiar with the discussions.

President Barack Obama could use a speech on Sunday before a powerful pro-Israel lobby to more clearly define U.S. policy on military action against Iran in advance of his meeting on Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, these people said.

Israeli officials have been fuming over what they perceive as deliberate attempts by the Obama administration to undermine the Jewish state's threat to use force against Tehran by publicly questioning the utility and timing of such strikes.

The Israeli leader has told U.S. officials that he wants Mr. Obama to outline specifically what Washington views as the 'red lines' that Iran cannot cross, something the administration is considering as it drafts the president's speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and sets the agenda for his meeting with Mr. Netanyahu.

Some administration officials said that if Mr. Obama decides to more clearly define his red lines, he is likely to do it in private with Mr. Netanyahu, rather than state it in his AIPAC speech.

Mr. Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials also are pressing for Mr. Obama to publicly clarify his insistence that 'all options are on the table' in addressing the Iranian nuclear threat.

The Israelis made clear in these meetings that Mr. Netanyahu intends to press Mr. Obama on the two points as the two allies more closely try to align their strategies to contain Tehran's nuclear threat.

'The Israelis are unnerved,' said Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.), who was one of five U.S. senators who had lunch with Mr. Netanyahu last Tuesday in Jerusalem. 'They think the administration is sending the wrong signal, and I do too.'

Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.), who also was in the meeting with Mr. Netanyahu last week, said he had never seen an Israeli leader 'that unhappy.'

'He was angry,' Sen. McCain said. 'And, frankly, I've never seen U.S.-Israel relations at this point.'

Last week, the United Nations nuclear watchdog said Tehran had more than tripled its monthly production of the purer form of enriched uranium that is closer to weapons grade.

The March 5 meeting between Messrs. Netanyahu and Obama is part of a critical week of diplomacy and politicking in Washington that could affect not only the standoff with Iran, but also Mr. Obama's re-election campaign. U.S-Israel relations have been rocky since both leaders took office in 2009. Mr. Obama's often frosty relationship with Mr. Netanyahu has degenerated at times into public spats between the two sides, raising concerns among the president's Jewish supporters.

据知情人士透露，以色列对美国在伊朗核问题上公开表态的抱怨将令白宫考虑更着力地考量可能对伊朗采取的军事行动，同时明确伊朗不能跨越的“红线”，到本周末这些问题将有明确答案。

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images伊朗海军在霍尔木兹海峡的一次演习中发射一枚导弹。上述知情人士说，美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)下周一同以色列总理内塔尼亚胡(Benjamin Netanyahu)会晤前，将于本周日对一个势力强大的亲以色列游说组织发表讲话，以便进一步明确美国对伊朗采取军事行动的政策。

此前奥巴马政府曾公开质疑以色列威胁打击伊朗的时机和效果。在以色列官员看来，这是美国蓄意降低以色列威胁对伊朗动武的可信性的一种做法，他们对此感到愤怒。

以色列领导人告诉美国官员，希望奥巴马具体说明华盛顿认为的伊朗不能跨越的“红线”是什么，这也是奥巴马政府正在考虑的事情。与此同时，白宫正在起草奥巴马在美国以色列公共事务委员会(American Israel Public Affairs Committee)的讲话稿，同时也在确定奥巴马同内塔尼亚胡会晤的议程。

奥巴马政府部分官员说，如果奥巴马决定更清晰地界定所谓的“红线”，他很可能在私下同内塔尼亚胡会面时提出，而不是在他对美国以色列公共事务委员会的讲话中提到。

内塔尼亚胡和其他以色列高级官员也正在向奥巴马施压，要求他公开澄清坚持声称的在解决伊朗核威胁时“所有方案都可以讨论”到底是什么意思。

以方在此前几次会议上明确指出，内塔尼亚胡打算就上述两个问题向奥巴马施压。美国和以色列这两个盟友正更加紧密地尝试协调双方的战略，以遏制伊朗的核威胁。

南卡罗来纳州共和党参议员格雷厄姆(Lindsay Graham)说，以色列人感到不安，他们认为白宫正在传递错误的信号，我也这么认为。格雷厄姆是上周二在耶路撒冷与内塔尼亚胡共进午餐的五位美国参议员之一。

亚利桑那州共和党参议员麦凯恩(John McCain)说，他从未见过以色列领导人表现出如此不快的神情。麦凯恩也出席了上周同内塔尼亚胡的会面。

麦凯恩说，内塔尼亚胡很生气；坦率地说，美国和以色列的关系如此糟糕的情形我以前从未见过。

上周，联合国核监管机构说，伊朗每月纯度更高的浓缩铀产量增加了不止两倍，这些浓缩铀已接近制造核武器的要求。

下周将是美国在外交和政治活动上关键的一周，其中一项活动就是3月5日内塔尼亚胡和奥巴马的会晤。这次会晤不仅会影响伊朗核问题僵局的解决，还会影响奥巴马竞选连任。自双方领导人2009年上任以来，美国和以色列的关系就一直不稳定。奥巴马同内塔尼亚胡间冷淡的关系有时会恶化到公开争吵的地步，这引发了美国国内支持奥巴马的犹太选民的关切。