Apparently, economic warfare is the new norm. Many at the Council
on Foreign Relations, RAND Corp and our State Department believe that
economic sanctions work better than war in serving our political will,
as well as the theory that they save lives. I'd like to challenge that
notion. You see, economic sanctions can lead to 'regime change' and
instability and eventual economic collapse, of course this puts the
country in question in jeopardy and potential of a total societal
meltdown, civil war, and can lead to starvation and ruining the lives of
an entire generation.
Now one might say; yes, but is saves lives? Well, true it saves lives from war, but not from the internal strife, death and carnage of civil war nor all those who starve to death, those that were already poor, perhaps on the verge before the economic sanctions. Those who survive grow up hating us, the West and perhaps our allies for what they believe we did to their country. If they overthrow their regime, we are happy, but many die trying, whether in failed coup attempts or even if victorious many will have sacrificed their lives on our account.
The New York Times had a troubling article published on January 24, 2014 titled; "US Warns Against Business with Iran," by Rick Gladstone. The article explained that even though the Obama Administration has touted an end to economic sanctions in Iran in the mass media, at Davos, and all over the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) publicity, they don't want any US companies contacting Iranian business people to start prepping for that potential eventuality. If they do, they might be targeted as assisting enemies of our country.
Never mind that the Obama Administration who claims to be curtailing Iran's economy by restricting energy exports (oil) the Administration has granted 20 waivers to economic sanctions for oil. Guess how many countries Iran exports oil to? Twenty, so basically that's all of them. Meanwhile, some of America's largest food stuff exporters have been exempt all along, and you might find this odd, Europe is opening things up for all their corporations, and the Iranian stock market is off and running again, more jobs are starting to happen.
When we have economic sanctions all too often a few get very rich and often the regime we want changed, as if that is our right, uses the strife to create a deeper sense of nationalism within, building up their team by picking us as the enemy - as if we didn't really pick them first. If we have a beef with a government or leadership of a country, that doesn't mean we have one with their people, of course it is the people that get hurt and often the regime remains in control. How can people say that economic sanctions are best - sometimes a limited, fast, and over with war might have been better for such a nation and their people - thinking long-term of course.
Cite: History.
Now one might say; yes, but is saves lives? Well, true it saves lives from war, but not from the internal strife, death and carnage of civil war nor all those who starve to death, those that were already poor, perhaps on the verge before the economic sanctions. Those who survive grow up hating us, the West and perhaps our allies for what they believe we did to their country. If they overthrow their regime, we are happy, but many die trying, whether in failed coup attempts or even if victorious many will have sacrificed their lives on our account.
The New York Times had a troubling article published on January 24, 2014 titled; "US Warns Against Business with Iran," by Rick Gladstone. The article explained that even though the Obama Administration has touted an end to economic sanctions in Iran in the mass media, at Davos, and all over the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations) publicity, they don't want any US companies contacting Iranian business people to start prepping for that potential eventuality. If they do, they might be targeted as assisting enemies of our country.
Never mind that the Obama Administration who claims to be curtailing Iran's economy by restricting energy exports (oil) the Administration has granted 20 waivers to economic sanctions for oil. Guess how many countries Iran exports oil to? Twenty, so basically that's all of them. Meanwhile, some of America's largest food stuff exporters have been exempt all along, and you might find this odd, Europe is opening things up for all their corporations, and the Iranian stock market is off and running again, more jobs are starting to happen.
When we have economic sanctions all too often a few get very rich and often the regime we want changed, as if that is our right, uses the strife to create a deeper sense of nationalism within, building up their team by picking us as the enemy - as if we didn't really pick them first. If we have a beef with a government or leadership of a country, that doesn't mean we have one with their people, of course it is the people that get hurt and often the regime remains in control. How can people say that economic sanctions are best - sometimes a limited, fast, and over with war might have been better for such a nation and their people - thinking long-term of course.
Cite: History.
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Military Technologies. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net.