WASHINGTON, September 23 (RIA Novosti) - It is acceptable for the United States and its allies in the Middle East to strike at Islamic State (IS, also known as ISIS) targets no matter where they are located , former UK minister of defense and conservative Member of Parliament, Liam Fox, told RIA Novosti Tuesday.
“I have taken the view that it would be perfectly acceptable for us to strike at the bases of ISIS wherever they actually were,” said Fox at a Heritage Foundation speech.
Asked whether the United States and allied actions were consistent with international law and international norms, Fox told RIA Novosti that “I haven’t heard what the President [Obama] has had to say,” as far as providing justification for the Syrian strikes.
Fox continued that he agrees with strikes across the Iraqi border into Syria, in part because IS has committed “clear breaches of international law.”
“I think that politicians cannot say that the ISIS situation represents the greatest threat to us in a generation and then fail to act in proportion to that perceived threat,” the former UK defense secretary said.
The United States and a number of Arab state allies struck multiple IS targets in Syria last night.
On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated that the strikes against IS within Syrian territory can be carried out within the framework of international law given “explicit consent from the Syrian government, or the adoption of a corresponding UN Security Council resolution.”
The IS has been fighting against Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq. Ceasing vast territories in both countries and forcing thousands of people, mostly religious minorities, to flee, the IS declared a caliphate on all the territories under its control.
