HK Phoenix TV Views China's Possible Tactics in Fight Against Terrorism Hong Kong Feng Huang Wei Shih Chung Wen Tai in Mandarin 1502 GMT 09 Sep 04
[Report] The 1502 GMT "Newsline" program (Shih Shih Kai Chiang) of Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV (Feng Huang Wei Shih Chung Wen Tai) on 9 September carries a 30-minute interview in Mandarin by Phoenix TV host Liu Shan-ling of commentator Chiu Chen-hai on the worldwide antiterrorist operations three years after the "11 September" incident, and China's tactics in this regard.
The following is a summary of the comments by Chiu on the above-mentioned topic:
Host Liu begins with the Beslan incident, saying that the treat of terrorism on mankind is far from over.
Chiu notes the most recent terrorist attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, which resulted in heavy casualties. This proves that the international community is by no means secure and antiterrorist operations over the past three years since the September 11 incident have not brought security to the world, he adds.
Chiu says that Putin has been implementing the diplomacy of not forming an alliance with the United States or China over the past few years. Chiu predicts that this will change as a result of the U.S.-Russian alliance in Central Asia against terrorism, which may pose a threat to China and the SCO.
Based on Putin's personal disposition, Chiu estimates that he may adopt a tougher stance and be more thorough than Bush as he has vowed to take preemptive action against the Chechen rebels residing worldwide. Russia is also offering a huge reward for anyone who can help bring the criminals to justice.
However, Chiu reiterates violence meeting violence is only one aspect of antiterrorist operations. Viewed from the antiterrorist war launched by Bush over the past three years, Chiu says that this approach cannot thoroughly resolve the problem of terrorism.
Chiu admits that the war against terrorism has given rise to more terrorist activities and has not brought security to the United States and the world at large. The Americans may find solace because no terrorist activities have taken place on US territory three years after the "September 11" attack. Chiu attributes this to tighter security on the borders at the expense of personal freedom of its residents.
On the negative effects, Chiu believes that the Bush Administration used the human, financial, and intelligence resources originally earmarked for fighting terrorism to launch another war, the war in Iraq. However, the United States failed to locate any weapons of mass destruction. Conversely, the war gave the terrorists worldwide an opportunity to take Iraq as their base to later launch attacks on U.S. territory. Chiu holds that this has resulted in a vicious cycle and the people in the United States are now living in an environment no safer than the period before the "September 11" attack.
In Chiu's opinion, the root of terrorism is the inequality of two civilizations; specifically speaking, it is the barbarian act of the Western world against Islam civilization, which also includes poverty and unfair practices. Unless these problems are fundamentally resolved, Chiu doubts whether the means of violence for violence or blood for blood will work.
Chiu analyzes the antiterrorist operations over the past three years from three perspectives: The first is justice. There is no doubt that antiterrorism will always be a just operation. Second, the United States, to a great extent, has oversimplified the antiterrorist operations. Third, the Western world, the United States in particular, has attained certain strategic interests which could never be achieved in the past.
In Chiu's view, Russia failed to make use of the international environment against terrorism following the "September 11" attack to crack down on the Chechen armed rebels at home. Instead, Russia sided with the United States in targeting the Al-Qa'ida in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now it is swallowing its own bitter fruit.
Chiu urges China to take note of the possible strategic rivalry between the United States and Russia in Central Asia. China should effectively make use of the U.S.-Russian alliance against the Chechen armed rebels in Central Asia to serve its purpose of cracking down on the East Turkistan terrorists and Xinjiang separatists, and nip them in the bud. Much can be achieved if China's diplomatic departments and media can take prompt action in this regard.
Chiu says that the U.S. Administration has utilized the antiterrorist war to overthrow the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the Saddam regime in Iraq. The two wars, related to oil resources and strategic fortification, are too important for the United States. The two wars enabled the United States to enter Central Asia and the Middle East without any obstruction, Chiu opines.
To sum up, Chiu first calls for locating and then eradicating the root of terrorism. Second, Chiu says that the U.S.-led Western world made a big mistake by launching a war against the Islam world. Third, Chiu also blames the United States for making a serious mistake in handling the Israel-Palestine conflicts over the past 50 years or so, a major conflict in the Muslim world and a conflict that resulted in Muslim hatred toward Christianity, and to some extent, it also gave rise to the "September 11" terrorist attack.
However, the United States adopted a double standard on this question, backing Israeli occupation of Arab land while providing support to the Jews in Israel.
On tactics adopted by China in antiterrorist operations, Chiu suggests the following: First, China should draw from Russia's experience and make use of the international antiterrorist environment to contain and attack the terrorist activities at home. Second, the Beslan incident has helped boost popular support for Bush. Unless something special happens, Bush is very likely to win another term in office. China should be prepared for such an outcome. Third, China should be prepared for continued US unilateralism, which is no longer limited to the hawks. Following the end of the Cold War, the United States is tending more toward unilateralism because the United States regards itself as the only superpower and thinks that it can act on its own, and no longer needs the world.
===== Nu, zayats, pogodi!
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