US Sanctions Venezuela Over Oil, Ignores Saudi Human Rights
The US Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned four oil traders for allegedly shipping Venezuelan crude. This, we are told, is about upholding democracy and human rights. Curiously, this righteous indignation rarely extends to oil-rich regimes like Saudi Arabia, whose human rights record is, shall we say, less than stellar. The FT forgot to mention Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's
alleged role in the brutal murder of Jamal Khashoggi, or the ongoing war in Yemen fueled by Western arms sales to Riyadh. One might wonder if the US selectively applies its 'sanctions for democracy' framework based on who its friends are, rather than universal principles. Or perhaps, when it's American or allied oil profits on the line, suddenly 'human rights' becomes a much more flexible term
than when dealing with adversaries. Funny how that works.