又中又英 | Over a barrel | 褚簡寧
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu firmly believed they would achieve a quick victory when they jointly attacked Iran on February 28. They were convinced they had Iran over a barrel because their militaries were far more powerful than Iran's military. If you put a country over a barrel, it means you put that country in such a difficult position that the country has no choice but to do what you demand. The belief of a quick victory turned out to be mistaken because the war has not ended, Iran has not surrendered, and its surviving leaders are still in control of the country.
Iran now believes it has the US over a barrel instead after it closed the Strait of Hormuz. About 25 percent of global oil supply by sea goes through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has driven up global oil prices by closing the Strait of Hormuz. Gasoline prices in the US and other countries have shot up, angering US motorists as America heads towards the midterm Congressional elections. American voters care most about gas prices and the cost of living during elections. That's why Iran believes it has the US over a barrel.
Trump threw a hissy fit recently in a social media post that used obscenities against Iran's leaders, demanding that they reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The slang phrase “hissy fit” means a sudden and uncontrolled short period of anger like that of a child. To throw a tantrum has a similar meaning. The word “obscenities” means swear words.
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美國總統特朗普和以色列總理內塔尼亞胡於2月28日聯合攻擊伊朗之時，堅定地相信他們很快便可取得勝利。他們確信伊朗任由他們擺布（over a barrel），因為他們的軍事實力遠遠強於伊朗的軍隊。若你put a country over a barrel，意即你令該國家陷入困境，別無選擇而只能受制於你。迅速戰勝的信念結果是錯判的，因為戰爭尚未結束，伊朗並未投降，而其在世的領袖現今依然掌控着國家。
在伊朗封鎖霍爾木茲海峽後，他們現在反倒相信是美國任由他們擺布（over a barrel）了。全球經海路運輸的原油供應，大概有25%要經過霍爾木茲海峽。伊朗封鎖霍爾木茲海峽，已推高了全球油價。美國和其他國家的汽油價格飆升，激怒了美國的駕駛人士，而美國正步向國會中期選舉。美國選民在選舉期間，最關注油價及生活成本。因此伊朗相信，美國已然受制於他們（over a barrel）。
特朗普最近在一則社交媒體貼文大發脾氣（hissy fit），對伊朗領袖說了粗言穢語（obscenities），要求他們重開霍爾木茲海峽。俚語hissy fit是指突然情緒失控的脾氣，像小孩般吵鬧。To throw a tantrum亦有類似的意思。Obscenities是指粗言穢語。
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Michael Chugani褚簡寧
中譯：七刻
