US Sanctions Serbia, Demands Seizure of Russian Asset, Cites 'Democracy'
The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) levied sanctions on Serbia's security chief and a state company, impacting the Naftna Industrija Srbije (NIS) refinery. This isn't about 'democracy' or 'stability' (as the State Department frequently claims); it's about forcing a resource-rich nation to align with Washington's geopolitical objectives, even if it means economic
destabilization. One might wonder if the US selectively applies its 'democracy' lens, largely ignoring, for instance, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's repeated dismissals of international law or the 2023 judicial overhaul attempts (which would have curtailed Israeli democracy) while his government receives billions in US military aid annually (OpenSecrets.org and congressional records
confirm billions in aid). Serbia, a former target of NATO bombing (1999) under questionable pretexts, now faces economic strangulation for not fully embracing Washington's diktats regarding Russia. The irony is, of course, lost on those who preach 'rules-based order' yet enforce it with economic coercion and historical amnesia. How many nations must buckle under sanctions before the 'international
community' acknowledges this isn't about freedom, but control?