《何庆之有》英译

英国最近在伦敦举行了第二次世界大战后规模最大的一次阅兵式，以庆祝马岛之战的胜利。有1，000多名参加过那次战争的官兵接受了检阅，还动用了飞机、大炮、坦克、导弹这些道具，场面可谓不小。但是，在有识之士看来，这不过是一场闹剧。

英国凭借它强大的军事力量从第三世界国家阿根廷的手中强占了马尔维纳斯群岛，这种以强凌弱的“胜利”并没有什么光彩，有什么值得大张旗鼓地庆祝呢？事实上，英国由于这场战争受到国际社会的强烈谴责，在道义上遭到了巨大的失败。况且马岛的争端也并没有由于英国的占领而告结束，广大第三世界国家和不结盟国家始终支持阿根廷对马岛主权的要求。英国现在兴高采烈地庆祝自己的“胜利”，不是太早了吗？

伦敦城的这次“庆典”，竟选择在哥伦布发现美洲新大陆的纪念日举行，这更是对历史的莫大嘲弄。难道英国不久以前在拉丁美洲的军事冒险能够同400多年前哥伦布的创举相提并论吗？正如一位西班牙官员所说的，这种做法只会激起人们加倍的义愤。

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What On Earth Is There To Rejoice Over?

To mark its victory in the Malvinas War, Britain held recently in the City of London a military parade, the largest of its kind since the end of WWⅡ. The 1,000-odd officers and men who had fought in the war marched past. Also inspected was such paraphernalia as planes, artillery pieces, tanks and missiles. A very grandiose spectacle it was indeed! But to people with keen insight, it is nothing but a farce.

It is by sheer military might that Britain wrested the Islands from Argentina, a country belonging to the third world. A “victory” won by overpowering the weak is no credit to the strong. What was there for Britain to flaunt with such fanfare? As a matter of fact, Britain has suffered a moral catastrophe, for it has incurred the sharp condemnation of the world community for having waged the war. Moreover, British occupation of the region does not mean the end of the dispute and a vast number of third-world and nonaligned countries remain the consistent supporters of Argentina’s claim for the territory. Isn’t it too early yet for Britain to crow?

The timing of the “ceremony” in London, which was held on Columbus Day, is a blatant mockery of history. How could the recent British war adventure in Latin America in any way compare with Columbus’s feat accomplished more than 4 centuries ago? A Spanish official put it well when he said such a performance would only make the people all the more indignant.