October 22, 2012

What to Do with Sanctions

By Shoshana Bryen
Western Iran-watchers have been pleased these past few weeks to see evidence that international sanctions against the Islamic Republic appear to have precipitated the collapse of local currency and demonstrations in the marketplace.  The EU added a new sanctions package last week.  Finally, they seem to be saying, we're getting having an impact -- more sanctions, better sanctions, "crippling sanctions" are better than military operations.   Certainly they are different from military operations. Sanctions drive up prices, so they have an impact on people who are price-sensitive -- people without government protection.  But those whose behavior the international community is trying to modify are much less sensitive to economic or social cost than a) regular people and b) the international community itself.  Fidel and Raúl have never missed a meal or a cigar over the sanctions that have impoverished Cuba since 1962.  North Korea's nuclear and missile...(Read Full Article)