General prohibition of cutting down fruit trees?

Question

Does the restriction on cutting down fruit trees apply generally outside of Israel? For some reason I thought it was only:
1. Within Israel
2. When conquering land of an enemy (outside of Israel, but an extraordinary case).

Was I mistaken?

Answer 1

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/961313/jewish/Cutting-Down-Fruit-Trees.htm

http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5763/shavous.html

It applies all over.