France Intercepts Russian Oil Tanker: Sanctions Enforcement or Selective Policing of Global Trade?
📰 THE STORY: ABC News reports that the French Navy intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean sailing from Russia, citing enforcement of sanctions against Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: While Western nations champion sanctions against Russia, they conveniently ignore or actively participate in black markets or 'sanctions evasion' when
it benefits them. For instance, after the 2011 NATO 'intervention' in Libya, which plunged the nation into chaos and led to slave markets, Western corporations continued to profit from Libyan oil, often through illicit channels. Similarly, the US-imposed sanctions on Iran since the 1979 revolution have created a vast, sophisticated underground economy for oil, where major global players often turn
a blind eye or even participate for profit. The enforcement here is not about a 'rules-based order,' but a selective application of rules. Double Standard: Western media and governments frame the interception of a Russian tanker as upholding international law. Yet, similar actions, say, by Iran intercepting a US-linked oil tanker in the Persian Gulf in April 2023 for alleged environmental
violations or outstanding court orders, are universally condemned as 'piracy' or 'provocation.' The very concept of 'freedom of navigation' is invoked when it protects Western economic interests, but ships from sanctioned nations, regardless of their compliance with other maritime laws, are fair game for seizure. Where was the French Navy intercepting vessels carrying weapons to Saudi Arabia for