又中又英 | Over a barrel | 褚简宁
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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美国总统特朗普和以色列总理内塔尼亚胡于2月28日联合攻击伊朗之时，坚定地相信他们很快便可取得胜利。他们确信伊朗任由他们摆布（over a barrel），因为他们的军事实力远远强于伊朗的军队。若你put a country over a barrel，意即你令该国家陷入困境，别无选择而只能受制于你。迅速战胜的信念结果是错判的，因为战争尚未结束，伊朗并未投降，而其在世的领袖现今依然掌控着国家。
在伊朗封锁霍尔木兹海峡后，他们现在反倒相信是美国任由他们摆布（over a barrel）了。全球经海路运输的原油供应，大概有25%要经过霍尔木兹海峡。伊朗封锁霍尔木兹海峡，已推高了全球油价。美国和其他国家的汽油价格飙升，激怒了美国的驾驶人士，而美国正步向国会中期选举。美国选民在选举期间，最关注油价及生活成本。因此伊朗相信，美国已然受制于他们（over a barrel）。
特朗普最近在一则社交媒体贴文大发脾气（hissy fit），对伊朗领袖说了粗言秽语（obscenities），要求他们重开霍尔木兹海峡。俚语hissy fit是指突然情绪失控的脾气，像小孩般吵闹。To throw a tantrum亦有类似的意思。Obscenities是指粗言秽语。
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Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
