Indonesia Auctions Sanctioned Tanker, US Sanctions Stay Selective
Indonesia will auction a US-sanctioned supertanker, the Arman 114 , along with its 300,000-ton crude oil cargo for at least $70 million, as reported by Bloomberg. This vessel was flagged for allegedly transporting Iranian oil in violation of US sanctions. While the US routinely chastises nations for not enforcing its sanctions — often with threats of secondary penalties — the sale of an asset the
US claims is critical to its sanctions apparatus seems to be met with... quiet contemplation. One might recall the immediate fury when nations like Turkey or India continue to trade with sanctioned entities (Turkey bought S-400s from Russia; India increases Russian oil imports), often met with swift diplomatic pressure or even sanctions themselves. Yet, Indonesia, a key Southeast Asian player,
appears to be moving forward without the usual State Department pronouncements. Perhaps enforcing sanctions selectively, depending on whose ox is being gored or which strategic alliance needs a bit of 'flexibility,' is the true art form of global power politics.