又中又英 | Cry uncle | 褚簡寧

　　Wars almost always end when one side cries uncle. The side that cries uncle believes it is cooked and must cry uncle. To cry uncle or to say uncle is an American slang that means to surrender or admit defeat. The word "cooked" used this way means to be in serious trouble. President Donald Trump believes the intense bombing of Iran by the US and Israel will eventually force Iranian leaders to cry uncle when they conclude they are cooked. But there is no sign for now that Iran will throw in the towel.

　　To throw in the towel means to stop trying to do something when you realize you cannot succeed. The expression originated from boxing when a boxer throws a towel into the boxing ring to admit defeat. Most experts agree it is too early to say when or how the US-Iran war will end. Some wars end when one side tries to find an off-ramp. Both sides also try to find an off-ramp in some cases. A ramp is a slope that joins different levels.

　　An off-ramp or exit ramp is the short slope that curves away from a highway for drivers to exit the highway. An off-ramp also means a way to leave a difficult situation, such as a war, to avoid failure. The expression "exit strategy" has a similar meaning. Military experts agree it is impossible for Iran to militarily defeat the US and Israel, but it can cause much instability by bombing US allies in the region. They also agree the Middle East and Iran will not be the same as before when the war ends.

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　　當戰事的其中一方「喊救命」（cries uncle），這場仗就往往接近要完了。求饒（cries uncle）的那一方，認為自己完蛋（cooked）了，必須認輸（cry uncle）。To cry uncle或to say uncle是美式俚語，意指投降或認輸。Cooked在這裏是指遇到大麻煩了。總統唐納德．特朗普認為，美國與以色列對伊朗的猛烈轟炸，可逼使伊朗領袖們判定自己要完蛋（cooked）了，最終投降認輸（cry uncle）。然而，現在還沒有跡象顯示伊朗會throw in the towel。

　　To throw in the towel是指當你認知到自己不能成功時，就要放棄、舉白旗。這個習語源自拳擊手向擂台扔毛巾，承認落敗。大部分專家都認同，美伊戰爭究竟何時或會怎樣結束，現時言之尚早。一些戰事會在一方嘗試尋找退路（off-ramp）時結束。在一些案例中，雙方也在嘗試找出口坡道（off-ramp）。A ramp是一個連接不同層面的坡道。

　　An off-ramp或exit ramp就是從高速公路上支出的短斜坡車道，讓駕駛者可以駛離高速公路。An off-ramp也解作得以脫離某艱難環境如戰爭的一個出口，以避免失敗告終。習語「exit strategy」即退場策略，亦有類近的意思。軍事專家都認同，伊朗在軍事上要打敗美國和以色列是不可能的，但它仍能透過轟炸鄰近地區的美國盟友，構成不少的動盪。他們也同意，當戰事結束的時候，中東和伊朗已人事全非，不會跟從前一樣。

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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻