NYT Discovers Sanctions Are, Shockingly, Ineffective
The NYT's recent deep dive into Venezuelan oil shipments reveals that tankers not explicitly under sanction are still moving crude, essentially undermining the entire point of the punitive measures. This isn't a glitch, it's the feature. Washington's 'sanctions first, ask questions never' approach has a long, illustrious history of failing to achieve stated goals while immiserating civilian
populations and creating black markets. Remember Cuba? Syria? Iran? The playbook is consistent: economic strangulation that fuels desperation, consolidates power among the target regime, and conveniently creates new business opportunities for those willing to navigate the labyrinthine rules. One might wonder if the real goal is less about changing policy and more about maintaining leverage or,
perhaps, ensuring the U.S. remains the sole purveyor of what is and isn't 'legal' trade. How many civilians must suffer before we acknowledge this strategy is less surgical strike and more blunt weapon?