I am not normally given to making any comments on this blog with regard to the events in Iraq. However, the storming of an Iranian consulate in Irbil, northern Iraq by American forces has not only irked both the Iranian and the Iraqi government, with both governments claiming that it was sovereign territory, but it has crossed an Internationally agreed boundary. 

It is not clear whether the American troops were thinking in a local mode in trying to neuter a centre of terrorist activity, and thereby protect Iraqi civilians and coalition troops, or in a wider context and searching for incriminating evidence against Iran, but the wider implications were not sufficiently thought out before the action took place. 

Other methods could have been employed to surround and isolate the building and shut it down as a control centre, cutting off the water, power, phones, and using electronic jammers to prevent the use of mobile phones.

The actions of the U.S. forces will only serve to legitimise the actions of any government or regime anywhere in the world to enter the Embassy or Consulate premises of another nation, based upon the precedent set by the Americans. 

Whilst I give my full support to coalition troops fighting on the ground, who must look for new and innovative ways to protect themselves, having been placed in harms way by their respective governments, the fact remains that unless the U.S. adheres to these international conventions on sovereignty, they are in serious danger of loosing even more of the much needed international support for their actions in Iraq.