Commentary: Challenging Task Facing Int'l Anti-terror Efforts

Home>>Opinion

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 12, 2003

Commentary: Challenging Task Facing Int'l Anti-terror Efforts

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

On the second anniversary of the Sept. 11 catastrophe, the task of anti-terrorism was again put back in the spotlight of the world's stage, coming in an even more daunting nature with the spiraling violence plaguing the earth.

Two years ago, with the crash of the World Trade Center in New York, the ironclad castle built on the strong sense of security in Americans' heart collapsed alongside the falling rubble. Suddenly, feeling their vulnerability, American people woke up only to find themselves in the very front-line of terrorist attacks.

In the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, the United States launched a worldwide counter-terrorism campaign, vowing to bring the terrorists to justice. Many countries in the world gave their generous support to the US endeavor.

Under such pressure, the rampant growth of terrorism was forced to ebb. However, the first half of this year has witnessed a rising spiral of violence, which has seemed to spin out of control.

The new round of bloodshed constitutes a challenging task facing all mankind in the world, with several new characteristics developed from its already-perilous nature.

Most remarkably, the battlefield of anti-terrorism has shifted from war-ravaged Afghanistan to post-war Iraq. Recently, the international community was stunned by a series of bombing attacks, which claimed a big toll in casualties. It conveyed a message that Iraq had become a mecca for terrorists swearing vengeance against mankind.

Meanwhile, the war-battered Taliban are engaged in a comeback by regrouping and intensifying combat ability, in an attempt to launch a new round of threats.

Another new characteristic worth attention is an emerging hotbed for terrorism in South Asia, stretching from the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia to Thailand and Myanmar, among which Indonesia and the Philippines are mired in the most severe scenario.

Indonesia was rocked by two deadly explosions last October and this August, plunging the country's tourism into darkest abyss. And the Philippines was rattled by a series of bombing attacks from October 2002 to April 2003.

Westerners and Western targets in developing countries also fell victims to terrorist organizations. An Israeli civil airliner was attacked in Kenya; a French oil tanker was ripped by explosion in Yemen, and United States diplomats were assaulted as assassination targets in Jordan.

All these grim incidents left people with the question: why cannot the anti-terrorism efforts check the tide of terrorism?

Analysts say the task of rooting out terrorism cannot be achieved only by the use of force, given that terrorism is brewed from many complicated and intertwined social factors, including politics, economies, religions and ethnicities.

The pursuit of hegemony, power politics and unilateralism in the policies of just one or two big powers also helped foster deep hatred among some nationalists and religious extremists in other countries and push them over the verge to the extreme vengeance.

What is more, in order to topple its regime, some big powers even staged unjustified war against a sovereign nation under the pretext of anti-terrorism, which also contributed to the deepening animosity.

On the other hand, in order to attain political purposes, some national separatists and religious extremists resorted to force, rather than dialogue, to settle disputes, which also accelerated animosity.

Therefore, how to check the momentum of terrorism tops the agenda of the international community. Gearing up joint efforts all over the world always comes first. Then, uproot terrorism from the very soil in which it flourishes by changing the unfair and irrational international political and economic orders.

In the common quest for counter-terrorism, due respect should be paid to a nation's sovereignty and its territorial integrity, and widely accepted international laws and norms governing international relations should be observed. Anti-terrorism should never be reduced to an outright pretense for underhand purposes. (Xinhua News)

Questions?Comments? Click here

Think about the 2nd Anniversary of '9.11': Viewpoint

When will the Immolation between the Jews and the Arabs Come to an End? ( 19 Messages)

Powell Says US-China Ties Best Since 1972 ( 10 Messages)

RMB Should Not Be Lumped Together with US General Election: Commentary ( 26 Messages)

Taiwan Huge Rally Opposes Lee Tung-hui's Split Plan ( 3 Messages)