As we have noted in various analyses, and in fact identified as one of the key factors that would shape the 2020s in our decadal forecast, global norms (including those specifically promoted by Western states that have shaped the post-World War II world order) are under severe strain. This process has been underway for many years, but two separate attacks in early April against diplomatic facilities have put the trend into stark relief. In the first case, Israel's bombing of an Iranian consular building in Damascus certainly flouted long-established customs about not attacking diplomatic outposts, even if legally Israel has claimed the building was a legitimate military target. In the second case, Ecuador's raid against the Mexican embassy in Quito seems to have been a clear violation of multiple treaties protecting diplomats....
