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CYIL 7 ȍ2016Ȏ ISLAMIC STATE, AN ACTOR THREATENING PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
is intensive. There is also evident support from the Russian federation; however
at the cost of loss of lives of Russian soldiers. The fights cause the death of many
civilian victims; according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), at
least 54 civilians were killed within 24 hours in January 2016.42 Provided the USA
were seriously interested in defeating the Islamic state, they possess the means to
do so, and the defeat of the Islamic state and the elimination of terrorism would be
applauded by many US citizens. It would mean higher security for their nationals.
Even though the latest terrorist attacks took place mainly in Europe (considering
the Western world), it is just a question of time before they happen in the USA.
The question arises as to why the USA are not concerned with defeating the Islamic
state at the present moment. One of the reasons might be the fact that this rich
organization purchases arms that are covertly delivered from the USA.43 According
to other sources, it is the extreme unpopularity of Bashar al-Assad in the USA which
leads to silent rapprochement.
3.1 The right to self-defence
The states of the international community conduct actions with the aim of
eliminating the Islamic state on the territory which this organization controls, that is in
Iraq and Syria. On this territory several armed conflicts are in progress. Primarily there
is the conflict between the Syrian government and the Islamic state on the Syrian
territory. Then, there is the conflict between the Iraqi government and the Islamic
state. Various insurgent groups are fighting against the official Syrian government
with the aim of overthrowing the Syrian government. Some of these groups were
officially recognized (see above). Some of these groups, for example the Al-Nusra
Front, however, are considered terrorist organizations. Also Turkey operates against
the Islamic state, but also against the Kurdish Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK)
operation on the Syrian territory.44 Apart from these, other states operate in this area,
namely Russia on the side of Syria and the USA and other western states that support
Iraq but also operate in Syria.
These conflicts and the resulting impacts on theMiddle East area should be resolved by
the Security Council of the UN. The Security Council bears, according to Article 24 of
the UnitedNations Charter, the primary responsibility for maintenance of international
peace and security. However, with the exception of the anti-terrorist resolutions (see
42 Rusové v Sýrii bombardují civilisty a tvrdí, že je to boj proti Islámskému státu. Svobodné fórum [online].
Svobodné fórum, 2016 [cit. 2016-05-20]. Accessible at:
bombarduji-civilisty-a-tvrdi-ze-je-to-boj-proti-islamskemu-statu/.
43 Izraelský expert: USA nechtějí porazit Islámský stát. Rusko v Sýrii řeší své zájmy. A přestaňme před-
stírat, že Turecko je náš spojenec. Parlamentní listy.cz [online]. 2015 [cit. 2016-05-20]. Accessible at:
Rusko-v-Syrii-resi-sve-zajmy-A-prestanme-predstirat-ze-Turecko-je-nas-spojenec-410163.
44 STARSKI, Paulina. Right to Self-Defense, Attribution and the Non-State Autor- Birth of the “Unable or
Unwilling” Standard? Zeitschrift fur auslandisches offentliches Recht und Volkerrecht, 2015, Vol. 75, p. 500.