Syria "Warns" US Not to Attack IS Mil.on Its Soil; US May Also Attack Syria to Help Rid It of Assad

Syria warned the Obama administration today (August 25, 2014) not to extend its air war against the Islamic State (IS) into Syria, as the militant Muslims celebrated another key victory over Syrian government forces in the north of the country, according to the Washington Post website.

The warning came a day after IS militants overran a major air base in north-central Syria, putting the Islamic State in full control of Raqqah province, where American photojournalist James Foley was held for much of his captivity and where his beheading last week is believed to have occurred.

The capture of Tabqa airfield yesterday by the Islamic State militants was the latest in a string of recent military successes for the extremist fighters, who have been consolidating their hold across northern Syria even as U.S. airstrikes launched earlier this month temper the group's expansion in northern Iraq.

U.S. officials have not ruled out pressing the airstrikes into Syria, telling reporters last week that the U.S. will not be restricted by "geographical boundaries" when confronting the militants. The Syrian government wants the U.S. to co-operate with it in carrying out any military action in Syria -- something the U.S. will not do, since it is helping more-moderate rebels to overthrow dictatorial Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in a civil war that has been taking place in Syria for over three years.