US' Anti-Terrorism 'Double Standard' Is a Double-Edged Sword that Draws Criticism from Putin

Recently, the spokesman for the U.S. Department of State, while issuing a statement on the serious cases of violence and terrorism in Xinjiang Bachu County, not only gave no censure but fabricated rumors out of thin air, blaming China’s ethnic and religious policies. This kind of “double standard” in the fight against terrorism is a double-edged sword that will eventually only harm others while bringing no benefits to the U.S.

The United States is also a victim of terrorism. After the 9/11 incident the United States cooperated with the international community. In 2002, it supported the United Nations Security Council in adding the East Turkestan Islamic Movement to its official list of terrorist organizations. However, with the advancement of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Washington, D.C. turned hostile, vigorously implementing double standards in the fight against terrorism. The most prominent manifestation is in the act of “selectively ignoring” extremist groups in Chechnya, Russia and the East Turkestan terrorist organizations that threaten China’s national security.

In 2006, despite opposition from the Chinese government, the United States released the East Turkestan terrorist suspects. The U.S. government also acknowledged its support for the Xinjiang separatist “World Uighur Congress” to obtain capital from the U.S. National Endowment for Democracy, whose source of funding is the United States Congress. The “Report of the National Commission on Terrorism” and “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” published by the United States in recent years also make irresponsible remarks on Russian and Chinese counter-terrorism measures.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently publicly accused the West: “It always made me indignant when terrorists who committed atrocious — bloody, ghoulish — crimes on the territory of our country were called nothing but rebels by our Western partners and even your colleagues from Western mass media,” he said. “And almost never were they called terrorists.”

Any form of terrorism is in violation of human civilization and order, contrary to the progressive trend of world peace and development, and a nuisance to the world. Engaging in double standards in the fight against terrorism is not only contrary to these moral standards, but will also foster terrorism’s arrogance and ultimately have a negative impact on the international fight against terrorism.

In fact, with the deepening of the globalization process, terrorist organizations are beginning to show signs of decentralization, localization and networking. They are using new techniques such as regional conflicts and social contradictions to expand their influence, and are pursuing cross-border and trans-regional development. Therefore, international cooperation is particularly important for anti-terrorism; any practices aimed at keeping out of affairs or passing the trouble to some other individual are unwise.

Do not do to others what you would not have them do to you. We advise the United States to not use doubled-edged swords in the war on terror.