中新网评：比起分享疫苗，美国更在意“世界领导地位”

        中新网北京5月19日电 (蒋鲤) 美国内布拉斯加州参议员本·萨斯(Ben Sasse)近日在《华尔街日报》发表文章称，美国应当扩大对外疫苗援助，在今年感恩节前为全世界提供10亿剂疫苗，以对抗中国日益增长的影响力。文中称现在是“当代只有一次”的最佳时机，向全世界证明美国的领导地位。

　　还是那股子熟悉的“美式虚伪”味道。文章中，萨斯还称“要在每一个(出口的)创可贴和棉球袋上印上星条旗”，“让每个接受美国疫苗的人知道疫苗的确切来源。”在各国疫苗紧缺之际，似乎有没有真正帮到人，是否为他国提供实实在在的好处不是关键，搭起台子进行“政治作秀”，谋求美国霸权才是目的，这本质上还是“美国优先”的思维。

　　此前，美国因囤积了全球1/4的疫苗而饱受批评。在压力之下，美国政府也于近日承诺将向海外加供疫苗。拜登还表示，要让美国成为全球的“疫苗库”。然而，美联社指出，美国仍未公布将怎样兑现上述新的承诺，以及哪些国家将获得疫苗。《印度时报》也发表文章称“没有迹象表明其将释放疫苗储备”，不禁让人担心这轮对外援助是否会沦为“空头支票”。

　　疫苗不是制造“免疫鸿沟”和搞政治操弄的工具。与其利用疫苗援助造势，不如为他国提供实实在在的好处。“假想敌”式地进行“疫苗竞赛”，搞地缘政治阴谋，不仅不能“领导世界”，还会“失道寡助”，必将遭到国际社会的唾弃。(完)

Is the U.S. sharing its vaccines or clinging to hegemony?

By John Lee

(ECNS)-- Ben Sasse, a U.S. senator from Nebraska, suggested in the Wall Street Journal that the American government should expand global vaccine assistance and set a goal of inoculating more than one billion people around the world by Thanksgiving, claiming it is "a genuine once-in-a-generation opportunity to show the world what U.S. leadership looks like."

The world is facing a severe shortage of COVID-19 vaccines, but what the senator wants the world to see is what U.S. leadership looks like. He even suggested that "every person who accepts an American vaccine should know exactly where it came from."

That reminds us of the familiar smell of “American hypocrisy.” Is the U.S. putting on a political show?

So far, the White House has not decided how the new commitment of vaccines would be shared or which countries would receive them, according to Associated Press. "As U.S. races back to 'normal', no sign it is letting go of vaccine stockpile," an article released by the Times of India stated. Will the U.S. pledge become an empty promise?

To Sasse, there are "imaginary enemies" and what he proposed is nothing but a “vaccine race”.

The vaccine should not be a tool to create a "vaccine divide" or seek political manipulation. Rather than a calculated publicity build-up by taking advantage of vaccines, the U.S. should take concrete measures. Playing the card of geopolitical intrigue is doomed to fail.