details about this are sketchy at this time, but it appears that the U.S. military has raided the Iranian consulate in Iraq, seized documents and computers, and arrested six Iranian diplomats.
With all the really, really stupid crap this president has pulled off over the years, I didn't think anything he did could surprise me any more... but, leave it to Dubya to pull a Gomer Pile and do something even dumber than before.
At this point, we have no idea how many international laws the Bush Administration has just violated. At the very least, we are in violation of Article 22 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. If we have violated more, I don't know right now. But, Article 22 expressly states that the embassy or consulates may not be entered under any circumstance without the express permission of the diplomatic mission. Additionally, no papers, materials or communications can be seized at any time.
We all know about diplomatic immunity. The amount of immunity that is granted to a person is dependant on his/her rank. An ambassador is untouchable. A custodian head is arrestable. A consulate staff employee is only arrestable for a felony and pursuant to a warrant. I am assuming that if we stormed the consulate, we are probably not paying to much attention to the diplomatic immunity of the people either.
So, basically, we have just done what Iran did to us 25 years ago. Not only have we given up the high hand in that relationship, we just opened up every U.S. embassy and consulate in the world to being stormed and having our diplomats arrested. But, we all know that Bush can't think past lunch time, so the fact that he is endangering our own citizens probably never even crossed his mind.
Like I said, details are sketchy. I will be looking to see if there was a good explanation to this.
U.S. Forces Raid Iranian Consulate in Iraq, Detain 5 (Update2)
By Marc Wolfensberger and Robin Stringer
Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. forces in Iraq raided Iran's consulate in the northern city of Arbil and detained five staff members, a state-run Iranian news service said.
The U.S. soldiers disarmed guards and broke open the consulate's gate before seizing documents and computers during the operation, which took place today at about 5 a.m. local time, the Islamic Republic News Agency said. There was no immediate information on whether any of those detained are diplomats.
The raid follows a warning yesterday to Iran and Syria from President George W. Bush in his address to the American people on a new strategy for Iraq. Bush accused Iran and Syria of aiding the movement of ``terrorists and insurgents'' in and out of Iraq and said the U.S. will ``seek out and destroy the networks providing advanced weaponry and training to our enemies.''
Coalition forces arrested six people during ``routine security operations'' in the Arbil area, the U.S. military said in an e-mailed statement. The military didn't confirm that the consulate was raided and didn't say whether any of those detained were Iranians.
The operation was ``part of an ongoing effort by coalition forces targeting individuals involved in activities aimed at the killing of Iraqi citizens and coalition forces,'' the military said.
(Full Story)
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3 comments:
Have forwarded this information to Air America Radio blog, please keep us informed of any updates and thanks so much,
Maggie
http://www.airamerica.com/node/3173
"US Raids Iranian Consulate In Iraq"
You've got to be kidding me? So, now you are protecting the Iranian gov't? I’m curious to know when you’ll be posting your apology to the US government and the servicemen involved now that the FACTS have come out and it’s been documented that this office WAS NOT protected by diplomatic immunity as it was a liaison office in the process of registering to become a consulate? When will that get posted Dingy?
And what about the FACTS that came out well before this incident or your blog for that matter regarding the Iranian agents we captured and detained and the documents they had on their possession? You know, the ones detailing how Iran is deeply involved in playing both the Sunnis and the Shia sides enflaming sectarian violence...supplying weaponry....IEDs that are killing American servicemen....what about that? Or, are you a classic liberal who ignores "facts"? Cat got your tongue?
You hate this president (and probably this country) so much that nothing the gov’t does is good enough for you. You are so smart sitting in your shit stained underwear drinking a latte and typing away like a little whiny bitch……all bark and no bite dingo…..all the while our men and women risk their lives far away from home hoping to make the world a better place…..shame on you bro
Educate yourself and quite being such a douche: http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/12/27/061227143736.n9b0odp0.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,243618,00.html
Wow, how eloquent!
Fact - Iraq has deemed the facility to be a legitimate mission.
Fact - Iraq and only Iraq can demark a facility as a mission, not the U.S.
Fact - Iraq had received the persons detained, giving them diplomatic status.
Fact - Iraq and only Iraq can receive foreign diplomats. U.S. has no say, nor can they force them to leave.
Fact - These actions put all of our foreign service personnel around the world at risk. This is much bigger than Iraq.
So, Why do you hate America so much that you want to put U.S. citizens at risk?
You are not seeing the forest or the trees, chief.
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