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The Legal Position of the Islamic State in International Law - Legality of the Use of Force against the Islamic State

Gogia, Vandna LU (2015) LAGF03 20151
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
ISIS is not a state. Legal considerations point at that ISIS is a non-state actor and a terrorist organisation. Out of the declaratory theory of recognition, effective control, rule through consent, stabilisation of national conditions and the constitutive theory of recognition ISIS quite convincingly fulfils the first two criteria. In UNC article 2.4 we find a prohibition on the use of force. The use of force in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS is predominantly justified by foreign actors through the pillars of self-defence (UNC article 51), humanitarian intervention, consent of the host states and the need to protect own nationals. In this context, attribution of ISIS’ actions to the state of Iraq and Syria becomes relevant, to which we... (More)
ISIS is not a state. Legal considerations point at that ISIS is a non-state actor and a terrorist organisation. Out of the declaratory theory of recognition, effective control, rule through consent, stabilisation of national conditions and the constitutive theory of recognition ISIS quite convincingly fulfils the first two criteria. In UNC article 2.4 we find a prohibition on the use of force. The use of force in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS is predominantly justified by foreign actors through the pillars of self-defence (UNC article 51), humanitarian intervention, consent of the host states and the need to protect own nationals. In this context, attribution of ISIS’ actions to the state of Iraq and Syria becomes relevant, to which we answer negatively. The use of collective self-defence could serve as a solution. Leniency towards the accumulation of events theory is more understandable than the anticipatory use of force. Necessity and proportionality are two important elements of self-defence, of which at least the prior can to a larger degree be established in our case. The consent of the Iraqi and Syrian government plays an important role in the legality of the use of force against ISIS. Conclusively, some questions regarding the practical difficulties of an eventual lawful use of force against ISIS arise such as previous downfalls of external actors in the Middle East and resentment among the masses. Diplomacy and methods specifically targeted at confining the territorial strengths are suggested as careful solutions to the problem. (Less)
Popular Abstract (Swedish)
ISIS är inte en stat. Juridiska överväganden pekar på att ISIS är en icke-statlig aktör och en terrorist organisation. Utav ‘the declaratory theory of recognition’, faktisk kontroll, styre genom samtycke, stabilisering av nationella förhållanden och ‘the constitutive theory of recognition’ uppfyller ISIS ganska övertygande de två förstnämnda kriterierna. I FN-stadgans artikel 2.4 finner vi våldsförbudet. Våld i Irak och Syrien i syfte att motverka ISIS förklaras framförallt av utländska aktörer genom argument som rör självförsvar (FN-stadgan artikel 51), humanitär intervention, samtycke av värdländerna och behovet av att skydda egna medborgare. I sammanhanget, blir hänförbarheten av ISIS åtaganden till staten relevanta, men vi svarar i... (More)
ISIS är inte en stat. Juridiska överväganden pekar på att ISIS är en icke-statlig aktör och en terrorist organisation. Utav ‘the declaratory theory of recognition’, faktisk kontroll, styre genom samtycke, stabilisering av nationella förhållanden och ‘the constitutive theory of recognition’ uppfyller ISIS ganska övertygande de två förstnämnda kriterierna. I FN-stadgans artikel 2.4 finner vi våldsförbudet. Våld i Irak och Syrien i syfte att motverka ISIS förklaras framförallt av utländska aktörer genom argument som rör självförsvar (FN-stadgan artikel 51), humanitär intervention, samtycke av värdländerna och behovet av att skydda egna medborgare. I sammanhanget, blir hänförbarheten av ISIS åtaganden till staten relevanta, men vi svarar i nekande i kontexten. Kollektivt självförsvar skulle kunna vara en lämplig lösning. Det finns anledning att luta mot ‘the accumulation of events theory’ mer än ‘the anticipatory use of force’. Faktiskt behov och proportionalitet är två viktiga faktorer av självförsvar, av vilka den förstnämnda är till stor utsträckning fastlagd i vårt fall. Samtycke från den Irakiska och Syriska regeringen spelar en viktig roll vid lagenligt bruk av våldsparagrafen gentemot ISIS. Sammanfattningsvis, förekommer vissa frågor gällande de praktiska svårigheterna med eventuell lagenlig våldsanvändning mot ISIS t.ex. tidigare motgångar av externa aktörer i mellanöstern och misstro bland folket. Diplomati och metoder som är riktade just åt begräsning av ISIS territoriella styrkor föreslås som försiktiga lösningar till problemet. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Gogia, Vandna LU
supervisor
organization
course
LAGF03 20151
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
self-defence, intervention, use of force, ISIS, public international law, state
language
English
id
5467422
date added to LUP
2015-09-07 08:02:58
date last changed
2015-09-07 08:02:58
@misc{5467422,
  abstract     = {{ISIS is not a state. Legal considerations point at that ISIS is a non-state actor and a terrorist organisation. Out of the declaratory theory of recognition, effective control, rule through consent, stabilisation of national conditions and the constitutive theory of recognition ISIS quite convincingly fulfils the first two criteria. In UNC article 2.4 we find a prohibition on the use of force. The use of force in Iraq and Syria to combat ISIS is predominantly justified by foreign actors through the pillars of self-defence (UNC article 51), humanitarian intervention, consent of the host states and the need to protect own nationals. In this context, attribution of ISIS’ actions to the state of Iraq and Syria becomes relevant, to which we answer negatively. The use of collective self-defence could serve as a solution. Leniency towards the accumulation of events theory is more understandable than the anticipatory use of force. Necessity and proportionality are two important elements of self-defence, of which at least the prior can to a larger degree be established in our case. The consent of the Iraqi and Syrian government plays an important role in the legality of the use of force against ISIS. Conclusively, some questions regarding the practical difficulties of an eventual lawful use of force against ISIS arise such as previous downfalls of external actors in the Middle East and resentment among the masses. Diplomacy and methods specifically targeted at confining the territorial strengths are suggested as careful solutions to the problem.}},
  author       = {{Gogia, Vandna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Legal Position of the Islamic State in International Law - Legality of the Use of Force against the Islamic State}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}