The recent frenzy of high-level telephone diplomacy, in which US President Barack Obama pressed European leaders to act to rescue the euro, showed this dynamic to be alive and well. It was an extraordinary demonstration not only of how difficult European leaders found coordinating their response to the crisis to be, but also of the strategic importance of a second reserve currency for the largest reserve currency.
近日来，美国总统贝拉克·奥巴马极为频繁地展开电话外交，敦促欧洲领导人行动起来，拯救欧元，这表明当年“跛鸭相搀”的内在动力依然有效。欧元危机所极其清楚地显示的，不仅是欧洲领导人协调一致应对危机的困难，而且还有第二大储备货币对于第一大储备货币所具有的战略意义。一旦欧元崩溃，美国经济将变得极为脆弱，如今的跛鸭们得赶紧抱成团。