Sanctions, ineffective, collateral damage.

 SANCTIONS HAVE NOT WORKED AND DAMAGE THE INNOCENT

HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GLOBAL DIVIDE

Yesterday the UN's attempt to levy sanctions on Niger was thwarted by a Russian veto. It is just the latest in long list of attempts to change a nations policy by imposing sanctions. These sanctions were concerning a travel ban and asset freezes. They would not have made much impact and would have further hardened those sanctioned. 

Sanctions often hurt the citizens of these countries, while having little effect on the leadership. The idea is to squeeze the citizenry so they will rise up and oust their leadership. While this may have been a little effective decades ago, that strategy is now so well known that it actually hardens the attitude of populace and helps the leadership portray themselves as a victim. 

We have seen over 40 years of severe sanctions on Iran and they are still ruled by the same government. The citizens of Iran, who once  held the United States in a favorable light now view the U.S. as a determined enemy.  The same could be said of Russia, who in the 1990's viewed the United States as a friend and mentor, now view the country as an enemy. The same could be said for the citizenry of Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan, much of the middle east and soon maybe China, Germany and France. Sanctions have disrupted many lives and imposed economic hardship due to unintended consequences.

As for Niger, the excuse that France and the EU needs their Uranium requires control of their government. This same excuse was used for intervention in oil producing countries. These are commodities, they need to sell them and hostile actions and chaos will actually increase the chances of supply disruptions.from the country. While business is till being conducted, there is opportunity for diplomacy. Alienating these counties has led to a division when these countries seek alterative markets in retaliation to sanctions and a viscous cycle is then created where what they sought to avoid has become reality. 

At the root is the inability of powerful nations to not accept and respect the cultural, religious and security concerns of others. The insistence that they have the right to intervene in the domestic affairs of other countries.

We see the increasing resistance to sanctions of all sorts, it is time to relearn the art of diplomacy,  an art that has been replaced by threats, intimidation, economic warfare and death and destruction. It has resulted in a very dangerous situation that if not reversed will inevitably result in a global war that will make WW2 look a schoolyard skirmish.