Global Banking's Shady Allies: The FATF's Selective Vision
📰 THE STORY: The Financial Times reports that Russia is weaponizing global banking regulations, specifically the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to target and silence dissidents by labeling them as 'terrorists' and freezing their assets, arguing that FATF doesn't verify these terrorism labels. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The weaponization of financial systems against
perceived threats is a long-standing Western practice. The US, for instance, froze Afghanistan's $7 billion in central bank assets after the 2021 Taliban takeover, directly contributing to a humanitarian crisis and starvation. Before that, the 'War on Terror' paradigm, following 9/11, massively expanded surveillance and financial control, often targeting charities and individuals with tenuous
links to 'terrorism,' including Palestinian relief organizations. The 2002 US-backed failed coup against Hugo Chavez in Venezuela relied heavily on financial pressure and sanctions. Double Standard: While Russia's alleged actions are framed as a novel and nefarious 'weaponization,' Western governments routinely employ sanctions, asset freezes, and 'terrorism' designations to achieve political
ends. Venezuela suffered crushing US sanctions since 2017, costing its economy an estimated $100 billion and causing tens of thousands of deaths by 2019, yet this is framed as legitimate policy, not 'weaponization.' Iran has faced decades of US sanctions, devastating its economy and hurting ordinary citizens, under often dubious pretenses, amplified by media like the FT. When the US designates