The Rise of ISIL and Emerging Problems Facing Global Anti-Terrorism Efforts

Editor＇s Note： The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant （ISIL）, a religious fundamentalist organization, first appeared in the Middle East in June 2012. The group declared their intention to create an Islamic State, grabbing the world＇s attention. The U.S. and Europe swiftly re-established an anti-terror coalition and took military action against ISIL. How would such an Islamic State look？ And how will the international community work together to prevent it？ This journal invited several experts on the Middle East in an attempt to answer these questions. The following are the main viewpoints.     

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.     

The Rise of ISIS： Impacts and Future

ISIS： The Backbone of International Terrorist Forces Since June 2014, the extremist terrorist group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant （ISIL or ISIS） has expanded quickly and seized significant territory in Iraq and Syria. It not only threatens the very existence of the Iraqi government, but also has changed the nature of the Syria conflict, and its influence is spilling over outside of the region.     

China and the Changing International Order

from the beginning of 2014, the international order has undergone some quite dramatic changes in several parts of the world. The Ukrainianpolitical crisis has gradually evolved into a U.S.-Russia confrontation two decades after the end of the Cold War. In the Middle East, the extremist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Al Sham （ISIS） invaded Iraq, gaining much territory in the north of the country.     

Why Is There an ISIL?

In June 2014,the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)1——an extremist organization——suddenly appeared in Mosul in Northern Iraq.Since then it has rapidly expanded its sphere of influence,to incorporate much of northern and western Iraq.Strategists,both in China and overseas,are puzzling over this Islamic State.Some scholars argue that the west Asian political landscape that was carved out 100 years ago is collapsing.ISIL's influence is spreading throughout the Middle East and threatening global security.     

阿富汗民族宗教概况

阿富汗伊斯兰国(The Islamic State 0f Mghanistan)是亚洲中西部的内陆国家，也是连接中亚、西亚和南亚的枢纽。北邻土库曼斯坦、乌兹别克斯坦、塔吉克斯坦，西界伊朗，南部和东部连巴基斯坦，东北部突出的狭长地带与中国接壤。国土面积62．22万平方公里，首都喀布尔(Kabul)。     

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     

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.     

“伊斯兰国”在利比亚的扩张初探

“伊斯兰国”(Islamic State,以下简称IS)自2014年6月“建国”以来,就不断兴风作浪,除一直活跃在伊拉克、叙利亚两国外,其势力还迅速蔓延至世界各地,利比亚即成为其渗透和扩张的重灾区.而利比亚自201 1年爆发反卡扎菲政权的战争以来,就陷入群雄纷争、冲突不断的动乱中,这恰恰为IS的渗透和扩张提供了良机.目前,IS不仅已发展成利比亚“庞大的政治和军事行为体”,①构成影响利安全局势的一股重要力量,而且深刻地影响着北非地区、撒哈拉以南非洲国家以及一些欧洲国家的安全稳定.     

恐怖主义新动向与国际反恐合作（英文）

正International terrorism started a new trend in 2015,in which the"Islamic State"(IS)became the most dangerous international terrorist group with continually expanding cross-regional influence.IS has won massive submission and worship from a large number of terrorist groups as it successfully withstood the air strikes by the US and Russia,which finally affected the realignment,regrouping and strategic adjustment of the     

伊拉克当前乱局剖析

2014年6月，伊拉克伊斯兰教逊尼派极端组织伊拉克和黎凡特伊斯兰国向政府军发动强劲攻势，攻占了包括人口百余万的伊北部重镇摩苏尔、北部萨拉赫丁省省会提克里特等城市在内的大片领土。6月29日，该组织宣布在所占叙利亚、伊拉克领土建立“哈里发国家”，并将组织名称改为伊斯兰国，其头目阿布·巴克尔·巴格达迪（Abu Bakral—Baghdadil自封为最高领袖“哈里发”（国王）。     

Disintegration and Remodeling of the Islamic World by Western International Order

Irreparable consequences to Middle East geopolitics ensued as the political systems in the Islamic world declined in a process that began under the persistent infiltration and influence of the Western ideal of nation-state.Three progressive stages in this conceptual transformation show how longstanding multinational imperial systems in the Islamic world disintegrated after the introduction of uone nation,one staten forced upon Middle East states an unrealistic model and eroded the principle of supremacy of sovereignty that had just been established.Interventionist theories that took hold meant that the Islamic world's self-transformation has never caught up with the demand of Western strategies.The Islamic realm has failed to achieve what it set out to do because political systems that would have been adaptive to the reality of the Islamic world had collapsed.     

The Impact of Islamic State on U.S.Middle Eastern Strategy

On September 10, 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama announced a new strategy for fighting the extremist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham （ISIL）.1 It is generally considered that this marks a major turn in US＇ Middle Eastern strategy, and observers have commented that the U.S. may have got itself once again ＂mired in the Middle East＂. How can we accurately assess U.S. Middle Eastern strategy？ And how should we read Obama＇s ＂anti-terror New Deal＂？ This paper tries to answer these questions as well as analyze the U.S.＇ overall American Middle Eastern strategy.     

The Global Strategic Situation in 2014: A Turbulent Year

The author considers that 2014 was a year of confusion and disorder. The world experienced a series of destabilizing events: global geopolitical tensions further intensified with the endless conflicts in Ukraine, the Islamic State emerged in force; West Africa saw an Ebola outbreak; and oil prices plummeted. We will not be able to extricate ourselves out of this chaos unless we can transform the existing flawed global order and rules. The U.S. and other big powers should take up more responsibilities and play a more constructive role in global governance.     

The Delegation of American Foreign Policy Council Visits China

At the invitation of Chinese Association for International Understanding （CAFIU）, the delegation of American Foreign Policy Council （AFPC） headed by Dr. William Schneider, Jr, Chairman of Defense Science Board of the Department of Defense and former Under Secretary of State, USA, visited China from Feb.     

“基地”组织与“伊斯兰国”比较研究

“基地”组织与“伊斯兰国”(Islamic State,简称IS)是当今世界两大极端组织,这两大极端组织在意识形态方面是“近亲”,都信奉瓦哈比一萨拉菲主义(Wahhabi-Salafism);①在行事手法方面,两者都惯用包括爆炸、绑架以及自杀式袭击等在内的恐怖主义手法;两者还有很深的历史渊源,IS的前身伊拉克“基地”组织是“基地”组织的分支,其间曾存在长期的合作关系.为此,不少人认为IS与“基地”组织别无二致,但自2014年以来发生的包括“基地”组织与IS公开决裂、大打口水战乃至双方频发冲突等事件表明,IS与“基地”组织之间的关系充满着不信任和敌对.有学者认为,IS与“基地”组织已经进入了公开竞争阶段.②因此,对这两大极端组织进行比较研究,认清两者的渊源和区别,显得很有必要.     

阿富汗塔利班与“伊斯兰国”比较研究

目前,阿富汗动荡局势愈演愈烈.过去的2015年被阿富汗塔利班(简称阿塔)称为自2001年以来其在战事上最为成功的一年.①在这一年里,阿塔卷土重来,频繁发动攻击,取得了“丰硕战果”,其中包括对阿富汗北部重镇昆都士的短暂占领.而另一极端势力“伊斯兰国”(Islamic State,简称IS)在阿富汗的地位也在不断加强.联合国2015年9月的一份报告显示,阿34个省份中的25个都有IS的存在.     

A Review and Reflection on the Development of Muslim Radicalism北大核心CSSCISSCI

A Review and Reflection on the Development of Muslim Radicalism Lu Zhongwei Abstract： The Islamic civilization reached its peak in the Middle Ages and has been gradually declined since then. In the past few centuries, the Islamic revival movement has been widely spreading in the world. Over the past dec- ades, the Islamic revival trends and movement in the Middle East and other regions can be roughly divided into conservative, moderate and radical factions. The radicals are advocating implementing religious extremism. The modern Muslim extremists and their terrorist activities have not only been undermining the international security, but also posing a great threat to China＇ s national security. To cope with the threat of terrorism, the international community should not only make military strikes, but also take action on the ideological level. Keywords： The Islamic civilization, radicalism, anti-terrorism.     

Amid Turmoil,the Middle East Is Reshaping

Turmoil in Iraq reached a new level when ISIL seized Mosul after the Iraq security force collapsed on June 10.Although ISIL,the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant,took over Fallujah in early 2014,this latest development has deeper repercussions.On June 29,ISIL declared a large territory between Iraq and Syria a new state.The leader,a Baghdadi who is wanted by the U.S.,was appointed as caliph.Together with the situation in Syria,the whole region is in tumult and remapping of borders is threatened.The Iraq government is fighting back with limited gains while the international community reacts with only noisy discussions.     

State Councilor Yang Jiechi Attends Re-naming Ceremony of ClIS

On July 29, 2014, State Councilor Yang Jiechi attended the renaming ceremony for China Institute of International Studies （only its Chinese name has changed from an institute into an academy, it will still be known as China Institute of International Studies in English） and unveiled its new nameplate.