Bloomberg Discovers Tariffs Affect... US Allies?
Bloomberg points out that China and the United Arab Emirates are Iran's largest trading partners, thus 'at risk' from a potential 25% tariff by former President Trump. One might consider this less of an oversight and more of a feature, signaling a consistent strategy by US administrations to enforce unilateral sanctions and disrupt trade networks that bypass Washington's control. (Perhaps 'risk'
is just Bloomberg-speak for 'desired outcome' for some policy wonks.) The media narrative consistently highlights the 'economic pain' sanctions inflict, rarely delving into the strategic motivations beyond vague allusions to 'national security.' Over decades, this playbook has targeted adversaries by squeezing their trading partners, a tactic mirroring past efforts to isolate nations deemed
problematic. When a US official speaks of 'maximum pressure,' it appears they mean it quite literally, extending that pressure to anyone bold enough to do business outside the US-approved system. The 'risk' here isn't unintended; it’s the point.