Sanctions-Induced Alliance: The West's Geopolitical Own-Goal

According to Al-Monitor, Iran and Belarus, both targets of extensive Western sanctions, are now bolstering military cooperation, sharing expertise and exchanging high-level visits. This development is framed as a critical challenge, yet it conveniently omits the foundational context: sanctions, often touted as a tool for isolation, frequently backfire, forcing targeted nations into strategic

alliances. It's almost as if cutting off every economic and diplomatic avenue for certain nations creates common ground for cooperation. One might almost think Washington's policy architects actually *intended* to foster an axis of sanctioned states. After all, if the goal was truly isolation, perhaps a more nuanced approach than blanket punishment would be… effective? But then, where would the

think-tank analysis industry be without the constant need to 'grapple' with the entirely predictable consequences of US foreign policy blunders?

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