Commentary: Unified standard, self-reflect needed in U.S. anti-terror approach

In his second-to-last State of the Union speech on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed to defeat the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group with coalition partners and urged the Congress "to authorize the use of force."

The call for tougher measures does reflect the realities of the global fight against terrorism, but adopting a universal standard on the issue is equally important if Washingtion wants to tackle the challenge in a more effective way.

Deadly attacks carried out by extremists have increased significantly around the world in recent years, and have grown into a malignant epidemic in some conflict-torn countries and regions.

Violent extremism and terrorism are no longer threats to one country or one region, but common enemies of the international community as a whole. Thus a universal standard on such threats should be established and constitute the basis of effective global cooperation.

Holding a double standard on terrorism, whether it is out of a strategic objective, misunderstanding or prejudice, not only discredits the holder, but also hinders concerted anti-terror efforts.

Leading countries and blocs in fight against extremism and terrorism must resist the temptation to hurt their rivals under the disguise of counter-terrorism.

The realistic political agenda out of self-interest, if being confused with the menace of terrorism, will deviate the crucial global anti-terror efforts from focusing on the real fight, harbor mistrust and allow terrorists to breathe and grow.

Meanwhile, eliminating the root causes of terrorism also deserves prior attention. The IS may not be the ultimate villain. Before it there was al-Qaida, and there could be other forces of violent extremism surging after the IS.

A proper review of the past counter-terrorism policies and a diagnosis of the root causes of terrorism are necessary for efforts to reflect upon past mistakes and improve the ability to address these threats in the future.

Obama acknowledged in his annual speech that the U.S. is "supporting a moderate opposition in Syria," following Pentagon's announcement last week to send 400 troops to train Syrian rebels to fight the IS.

Whether such moves can effectively help crack down on terrorism is debatable, but they undoubtedly raise doubts over the U.S. agenda in Syria.

If handled without prudence, not only regional anti-terror efforts will suffer setbacks, but the risk of broader conflicts in the region will be triggered, creating more natural breeding grounds for violent extremism and terrorism. The bottom line is anti-terror efforts should stem or reduce terrorism, not give rise to more of it. Endit