Thursday, October 07, 2004
Sanctions
I used to be a believer in sanctions. I used to believe that the countries of the world could stand together and isolate the bad guys without firing a shot in anger. I think I was wrong.
Sanctions fail for reasons that I should have been smart enough to see. People are people, greedy and self serving at times. Sanctions are just as bad as bullets in some environments, and finally, sanctions hurt the wrong people.
People are indeed greedy and self serving. Lenin is supposed to have said that the capitalists will sell me the rope to hang them with; the real quote is much longer and more turgid but says the same thing. Sadam Hussein gives us a modern example. He basically bought three votes in the Security Council, in the vain hope that this would protect him. But for the resolve of the United States, he would probably be making Anthrax and Nerve gas today.
Sanctions hurt people. Lots of Iraqi's died in the 90's, making the Oil for Food program necessary. Would you rather starve to death or be blown up? A Hobson's choice if ever there were one. In theory, if you punish the populace enough maybe they'll rise up and overthrow the tyrant. Give me one example.
Sanctions hurt the WRONG people. Sadam never went hungry. He didn't even lose much money as far as I can tell. He blamed us, the UN, told the people that he would defeat the enemy that was starving them, and since he controlled the press what else would they believe?
Perhaps you are still naive like I was. Perhaps you believe that starving the innocents and hoping that they will rise up and defeat a vicious dictator is a moral strategy. I don't any more. Sanctions don't work, are unlikely EVER to work in the world I live in, and hurt the wrong people. I can't live with UN sanctions ever again.
Sanctions fail for reasons that I should have been smart enough to see. People are people, greedy and self serving at times. Sanctions are just as bad as bullets in some environments, and finally, sanctions hurt the wrong people.
People are indeed greedy and self serving. Lenin is supposed to have said that the capitalists will sell me the rope to hang them with; the real quote is much longer and more turgid but says the same thing. Sadam Hussein gives us a modern example. He basically bought three votes in the Security Council, in the vain hope that this would protect him. But for the resolve of the United States, he would probably be making Anthrax and Nerve gas today.
Sanctions hurt people. Lots of Iraqi's died in the 90's, making the Oil for Food program necessary. Would you rather starve to death or be blown up? A Hobson's choice if ever there were one. In theory, if you punish the populace enough maybe they'll rise up and overthrow the tyrant. Give me one example.
Sanctions hurt the WRONG people. Sadam never went hungry. He didn't even lose much money as far as I can tell. He blamed us, the UN, told the people that he would defeat the enemy that was starving them, and since he controlled the press what else would they believe?
Perhaps you are still naive like I was. Perhaps you believe that starving the innocents and hoping that they will rise up and defeat a vicious dictator is a moral strategy. I don't any more. Sanctions don't work, are unlikely EVER to work in the world I live in, and hurt the wrong people. I can't live with UN sanctions ever again.
# posted by Unknown @ 6:49 PM 
