TAKING HIS seat at a NATO summit must be a bittersweet(苦乐参半的) moment for Mark Rutte, the alliance’s secretary-general. For among the 32 national leaders at the top table(主桌，重要席位), several find the Dutchman insufferable(难以忍受的).
对于北约秘书长马克·吕特来说，入座北约峰会一定是一个苦乐参半的时刻。因为在主桌的32位国家领导人中，有好几位觉得这个荷兰人令人难以忍受。
It grates(使恼火，令人烦躁) on some governments when Mr Rutte praises President Donald Trump and—far from rebuking(斥责，批评) him for calling NATO a “paper tiger(纸老虎，外强中干)” and demanding that members show him “loyalty”—thanks him for strengthening the alliance. Worse, Mr Rutte seems to enjoy playing Mr Trump’s enforcer(执行者，打手) a little too much. A former Dutch prime minister, he reminds some of a finger-wagging(指指点点的，说教的) preacher when he scolds Europeans to spend more on their defence. Or while chiding(责备，斥责) them to avoid “empty” talk about deterring Russia without American help. Southern Europeans, in particular, remember lectures from Prime Minister Rutte to spend less. Now, as NATO boss, he wants them to borrow and rearm. Mr Trump calls Mr Rutte his friend and a man “respected all over the world”, setting colleagues’ teeth a-grinding once more.
当吕特赞扬特朗普总统，并且非但没有斥责后者称北约为“纸老虎”以及要求成员国表现出“忠诚”，反而感谢他加强联盟时，一些政府感到恼火。更糟糕的是，吕特似乎有点太热衷于扮演特朗普的打手。这位前荷兰首相，在责骂欧洲人增加国防开支时，让一些人想起一个指指点点的传教士。或者当他告诫他们不要在没有美国帮助的情况下空谈“遏制”俄罗斯时。特别是南欧人还记得吕特首相曾教训他们要少花钱。现在，作为北约掌门人，他又要他们借贷并重新武装。特朗普称吕特是他的朋友，一个“受到全世界尊重”的人，这再次让同事们恨得牙痒痒。
Against that(尽管如此，与此相反), Mr Rutte can be confident that many allies want him in the room. He soothes(安抚，平息) Mr Trump’s rages(狂怒，暴怒) as few other Europeans can. Mr Rutte is willing to call Mr Trump “Daddy”(（对特朗普的）昵称，暗含屈从) and hail him as leader of the free world(自由世界的领袖（对美国总统的敬称）), if that stops America’s president storming out(愤然离开，冲出去) of summits like an angry old king.
尽管如此，吕特可以确信，许多盟友希望他留在会议室。他能平息特朗普的怒火，这种能力很少有其他欧洲人具备。吕特愿意称特朗普为“爸爸”，并尊他为自由世界的领袖，如果这能阻止这位美国总统像一位愤怒的老国王一样冲出席峰会的话。
Taking one for the team
为团队牺牲自己