--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In fact, the two countries have been edging closer for yearsfor reasons of pure realpolitik[4]. Mr Qaddafi's regime is certainly less bad than it was. It has not t________② anyone outside its own borders for a long time. It has opened its economy a crack to foreign investors1, invited tourism and slightly lifted oppressive controls on its own citizens. （1）But none of those things matters as much to America as big oil, alliances in the fight against Islamist extremism and the scoring of points in the current stand-off[5] over Iran's nuclear ambitions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
事实上，多年来两国已经越走越近纯粹是由于强权政治。卡扎菲政权一定要比过去有所改变，很长时间以来都未在本国领土以外进行过恐怖活动，经济上日渐对外国投资者开放，并开始进步旅游事业，对本国公民的高压管控也有所放松。但对于美国而言，这类都算不了什么。丰富的石油、结盟对抗伊斯兰极端主义与在目前伊朗核危机僵局中取得优势，才是美国真的想要的。（译者按：本句的主结构应该是none of those things matters as much asto America，意为对美国而言，比起来，那些都不重要。）
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Libya has the largest oil reserves in Africa, safely distant from the Persian Gulf2, and has historically cosplayy[6] relations with American oil firms. More crucial to the Bush administration has been Libya's importance in countering al-Qaeda and its offshoots. （2）Mr Qaddafi's intelligence services, once feared as global troublemakers3, are among the most ruthless in the region. Ever since Libya's leader was himself targeted for assassination by Muslim radicals , he has been one of their keenest foes