By Daniel DePetris
There is no doubt U.S. economic sanctions can be a powerful tool. Countries on the receiving end of these penalties can see their exports curtailed, access to lending restricted, and reserves in foreign banks blocked.
Economic pain, however, isn’t the objective. Sanctions are meant to convince a target to change its conduct. The prevailing assumption in U.S. policy circles is that the greater the economic pain, the more likely a target will eventually succumb to U.S. demands.
This piece was originally published in Los Angeles Times on February 24, 2022. Read more HERE.