Characteristics of ＂East Turkistan＂ Terrorism and Future Prospects

The continuing threat of terrorism around the world has intensified interest in the perpetrators＇ characteristics to see whether a profile or type can be drawn from individual majority of today＇s terrorists features. Research has shown that a are young-to-middle-aged, male, psychological immature, insufficiently educated, and have a family of origin in which a religious atmosphere prevails. If motivations are studied, the studies find that individuals who commit extremist or violent terrorist acts are dissatisfied with the current situation but also convinced it can be successfully altered through their personal capability. Besides these factors of age, gender, education, and religion, a mastery of computers and the internet has been found to be a basic feature common to modern terrorists.1 The ＂East Turkistan＂ terrorists who instigated terrorist activities in recent years in Xinjiang and inland China closely resemble those of their international contemporaries. With access to the three sets of reports from the Ministry of Public Security of China and information from cases tried by national courts in 2013, this article analyzes the relationship between common individual features and terrorist activities, and estimates developments of ＂East Turkistan＂ terrorism.     

Impacts of March 11

Feng: The world-shocking September 11 terrorist attacks occurred in the United States in 2001, and two and a half years late the world saw panic-stricken terrorist attacks of the same kind in Spain. Ever since then March 11 has become another day that is engraved on the mind of the people all over the world. The terrorist event in Madrid has not only produced great impact on Spain and other European nations as well as on the common people, but also spurred the European nations to reflect on a series of important issues and to make some adjustments of their policies.……     

ABSTRACTS

The rise of extremist organizations of ＂Islamic State＂ has complicated reasons and background, which has exerted great shock and impact on the situation in the Middle East： leading to the realignment of the political landscape and regional order in the Middle East; resulting in the adjustment of foreign policies and external strategies of the related nations; boosting the religious, power and ideological contentions in the region; and making terrorist operations enter a new and active phase. On the whole, there is a great variable in the future development of the Middle East situation, which though will be largely determined by the following three factors, namely what kind of role the big powers outside the region will play, what kind of influence the powers within the region will exert and whether or not the expansion of ＂Islamic States＂ will be effectively controlled.     

The Current Chaos in the Western World:A Profound Reflection

Since the beginning of 2016,American presidential campaigning took on a strident tone.The Trump ascendancy among right wing republicans,and the rise of Sanders to the left of the democrats,are seen as grassroots movements against status quo politics.France,Europe's standing bearer of peace,freedom and equality,suffered ruthless and severe terrorist attacks in Paris and Nice which resulted in bloodshed,horror and sorrow.After quite a long time,the UK ended its swaying stance towards the EU by referendum to exit the EU,bringing a surprise ending to its 43 years of membership.     

Post-3/11 Europe and Its Ties with the U. S.

The March 11 2004 terrorist attacks in Madrid are as shocking asSeptember 11. This is not only because the bombings are themost disastrous bloody event in Spain and even in the wholeEurope ever since World War II, but also because terrorist attacks finallyhappened that the Europeans feared and attempted to prevent since theSeptember 11 terrorist event. As an important member of Europe, thebloody terrorist attacks in Spain would certainly exert great impacts andinfluences on Europe as a wh…     

Characteristics of the ＂Islamic State＂

The extreme organization that calls itself the ＂Islamic State＂ has alarmed the world with its rapid rise and grave damage while drawing sharp censure from numerous directions. In his speech on the strategy of dismantling the ＂Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,＂ American President Barak Obama＇ s called it ＂a terrorist organization, pure and simple.＂ 1 Rooted in Middle East turmoil, facilitated by the irresponsible policies of the great powers and nearby countries, the ＂Islamic State＂ （also known as ISIS or ISIL） stands out from among regional terrorist organizations in a number of vital characteristics. ISIS, disowned by the A1-Qaeda, nevertheless challenges it and seems to gain the upper hand. What lies behind its success are at least two powerful characteristics： its religio-political ambition to establish a recognizable country, and its ability to entice the zeal of Western jihadists.     

Perspective of World Economy and China''''s External Economic Environment

Owing to a series of impacts of the "9·11 terrorist attack," the accounting scandals of big companies, Iraq War and the SARS crisis in the past two years, the world economy that might have rebounded forcefully has been on a wavering process of slow recovery.     

Surpassing the Cold War Mentality

Five years have passed since September 11. What has been the influence of these events on international relations? What has changed in the world since then? The majority of scholars hold that the September 11 terrorist attacks were essentially a key event, a "turning point" in the international strategy transformation after the Cold War.Yet some others believe that the September 11 terrorist attacks cannot have had so profound an impact on international relations. For example, in America's Foreign Policy, most articles commemorating the fifth anniversary of September 11 fall into the second category. These articles suggest that, five years after September 11, security issues have not slowed down the pace of globalization; potential strategic competition among the big powers has not been weakened due to their cooperation in counter-terrorism and international terrorist organizations, represented by Al Qaeda, still exist. Meanwhile, many proturning-point scholars think that, after September 11, terrorism has become the main threat to international security and that the strategic focuses of major powers have also undergone a big adjustment, valuing cooperation over competition. There is even a saying that "the central content of international relations is to meet challenges from the non-state actors represented by terrorism."     

Why Counter-terrorism Breeds Yet More Terrorism

The global campaign against terror has achieved considerable success over the past five years since the events of 9/11. The Taliban forces in Afghanistan have been destroyed and Al-Qeda has received a devastating blow. In Russia, Chechen secessionist terrorist forces have also suffered heavy losses. Nevertheless, the major terrorist attacks that took place in the UK, Spain, Russia, Iraq, India and Indonesia clearly demonstrate that terrorism has not yet disappeared.Terrorist attacks are on the increase, the targets are becoming more varied, and the methods more covert and more violent. Terrorist groups and organizations have become better organized in their activities and there is a trend towards the use of high-tech in the attacks.Some world public media refers to these phenomena as "counter-terrorism leading to yet more terrorism". Therefore, two fundamental questions may be posed to all countries throughout the world: What are the roots of terrorism? How can terrorism be eradicated?     

Russia''''s New Energy Diplomacy and Its Impact

Since the terrorist attacks of September 11,the world energy mar-kets have witnessed remarkable changes in Russia's re-emergenceas a major world energy power and its active development of energydiplomacy.As the signing of agreements at the Russia-America summitand Russia-Europe summit last May as well as at the regular meeting     

‘ Lone Wolf＇ Terror and How to Prevent It

With al Qaeda no longer able to stage a large-scale terrorist attack in Europe or the U.S., ‘lone wolf＇ style attacks have become its main tactic. Worries about lone wolf terror began after the bombings in the U.S. city of Boston in April 2013. There are thousands of European and U.S. mujahids who have fought in Syria and are now heading back home. It is likely that Europe and the U.S. will see a new round of lone wolf terror in the near future. This is also a worrying development in terms of intemational terrorism as these kinds of attacks are easy to duplicate and spread.     

New Structures of American Foreign Strategy Since 9/11-Seeking Cooperation with Asia-Pacific Countries

When George W. Bush entered the White House in early 2001, American foreign policy was based on unilateral principles and favored disengagement from global conflict resolution. The United States declared it's decision to withdraw from the Kyoto protocol, refused to negotiate with North Korea, and, in particular, it's pursuit of a national ballistic missile defense system, in face of global opposition, further reinforced the position of its unilateralism. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 came as a shock to the world. The United States suffered not only physical casualties, but felt a psychological blow as well. For the first time since the 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States had been attacked at home. Unlike Pearl Harbor, the attacks on September 11 targeted civilians and the cornerstones of the American way of life- their financial and government centers. The terrorist attacks forced the Bush administration to re-examine it approach to foreign policy. Seeking cooperation with other powers will be the new choice for American foreign strategy.     

Islamic State in Focus

Islamic State has rapidly become a new threat to the international community.It is now staging terrorist attacks in a long list of Western countries including Canada,Australia and France.Compared to Al Qaeda,Islamic State is characterized by the following:1)Its ultimate goal is to find Utopia.This attracts jihadists from around the world;they are following a call to settle the historical feud between Islam and Christianity.It is also stirring up sectional strife between Sunnis and Shiites.Its demagogy has thus far recruited 15,000Jihadists from over 80 countries;2)It has been competing with Al-Qaeda in trying to launch terrorist     

Chaos in 2014: The Journey Continues

Will 2014 be remembered as a chaotic year a decade or two in the future?Not necessarily so.Looking back at the post-Cold War years,only two major developments stand out:the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the rise of the emerging countries such as China.They both mark a shift in global power distribution,from major powers to smaller stakeholders,from the Atlantic to the Pacific,and from the developed to the developing worlds.From this perspective,nothing that extraordinary happened in 2014.purchasing power parity(PPP).Trans-Pacific rivalry also escalated in the first half of the year,particularly in the East China Sea and the South     

How to Appraise?

The world is complex and full of changes. This is the fundamental characteristic of the international situation. In the five years since September 11, the increase of the terrorist threat has impelled the United States to adjust its global strategy. Unilateralism, with preemptive measures as its core, has reached its zenith and, therefore a host of regional and global contradictions have appeared. This is the main thread of the international situation in the past five years.     

Contradictions and Compatibility between China＇s Multilateral Cooperation System and the U.S.-led Bilateral Alliance Structure in East Asia

The bilateral alliance structure dominated by the United States and the multilateral cooperation system advocated by China exist side by side in East Asia, which presents distinct dualistic structural feature of the international system in the region. These two systems, in essence, are contradictory and mutually opposing and neither of which could replace the other in reality. In a relatively long period of time, these international systems in East Asia will drive the region to and stability in the process contradictions and compatibility. develop in a direction of peace of accommodation between     

Forecasting the World Scene in 2004

A review of the year 2003 paints a bleak, frustrating world sceneof unending terrorist attacks, crises and hostilities. Nevertheless,rationalism as a unique human attribute prevailed. The six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue, the Indo-Pak reconciliationovertures, the quickening tempo of East Asian economic integration andthe relaxation of tension among big powers—all these bear eloquenttestimony to this statement. What lies in store in the year 2004? Needlessto say, there will…     

Retrospect of and Prospects for the European Situation in 2014

In 2014,Europe was embroiled in both internal and external crises.Economic growth was lower than expected and the democratic and welfare systems,considered"reducers of social pressure,"were overwhelmed.This gave rise to the continuous growth of ultra-right and ultra-left forces,which challenged the traditional rules of democracy and its functioning.Crisis broke out unexpectedly in Ukraine,and went from bad to worse,and external risks such as IS and the Ebola epidemic continued to ferment,adding further pressure on Europe.Economically,EU recovery remained fragile and weak.Although it has now emerged from the debt crisis,it is currently experiencing a"growth crisis."The EU and the Eurozone were expected to grow by just     

Change, Gain and Loss

Five years have passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks occurred. America's counter-terrorism campaign is still on the way.Besides the momentary monumental significance of the fifth anniversary, five years is still too short in regard to the long-term counter-terrorism campaign. Yet, America's president's tenure is eight years at best; most of Bush's presidency time has passed. Five years ago, the U. S. encountered the most serious terrorist attack; the whole nation formed a consensus that counter-terrorism is its utmost priority. President Bush once enjoyed a support rate as high as 90% for over 16 months. But five years later, the trend changes. People can not help but ask: what are the gains and losses of the Republican Party in dealing with national security affairs?     

International Counter-Terrorism:Inspiration from Current Predicament

The September 11 attacks have spurred international counterterrorism onto a new level of state security strategy for many countries in intensifying the war on terror from varied angles, in a multi-layered, omni-dimensional way. Strange enough, terrorist activities have become all the more rampant in spite of such full-scale, worldwide clampdowns- a paradox indeed. This merits in-depth explorations into the underlying problems for seeking feasible solutions in response to the needs of theoretical research and the fight against terrorists. We have therefore invited experts from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations for discussions on the present anti-terrorist dilemma. It is our hope that their views may be of some help to relevant scholars and antiterror fighters.……