Russia Says Air Strikes In Syria Would Be Act Of Aggression Without U.N. Vote

[The Magistrate]

20. It Is Not That Complicated, Sir

The body known as I.S.I.L. has invaded Iraq, and Iraq has invoked its right of self-defense, and asked for assistance from the United States. I.S.I.L. launched its attack on Iraq from territory it controls within Syria. The government of Syria is incapable of exercising governance in these areas, and incapable of policing them. It is well within the legitimate exercise of self-defense to engage the bases of an invading force, and that these may be on ground nominally part of a country, but where that country's government is incapable of exerting its authority, does not alter this. If the Syrian government wants to prevent such strikes, its recourse is to invade the areas under control of I.S.I.L. in sufficient force to put an end to its capability to engage in invasion and occupation of Iraqi territory. It cannot do this, or perhaps does not want to, but in either case, if the Syrian government does not exert governing authority in these areas, and prevent them being used as bases to assail another country, they are open to attack by those they have attacked.

Suppose that, during our Civil War, France had got it into its head to invade Texas across the Mexican border. Would that have been aggression against the Federal Union led by President Lincoln, or against the Confederate States led by Jeff Davis?