Sanctions: Now an old trick

Less than 800 words

Introduction

Sanctions are often seen worse than covert operations or direct military action is unilateral or a collective action against a state considered to be violating international laws or accords. It’s often marked as the diplomatic militancy and collective boycott. A sanctions is attempted to block all trade relations and withholding of vital resources getting into the targeted country which indeed could end up in great internal crisis. The crisis is expected to make the government kneel before the big players and correct the international wrong committed by them. In some cases the targeted country may retaliate in return with extreme measures like wars or smuggle of the necessary items.

Background

The roots of sanction can be traced backed to first half of nineteenth century during the Greek fight for independence from Turkey in 1827, imposed by Britain, France and Russia. The sanction was more open and bold and it was termed as Pacific Blockage, in which the naval forces were deployed on the coastline of targeted country to avoid any foreign trade or external help to enter. Since then sanctions have evolved in its form and intensity. They are not just limited to trade but now the use of Smart-Sanction has made it more effective with targets being few individual or an organization instead of the whole country. This is in-fact a newer form of Divide and Conquer. The banks are the most effective tool to impose sanctions with seizing of the assets and freezing of the bank accounts of the targets. The travel bans, commodity restrictions and financial freezings are now done via diplomatic ways like UN resolutions and EU declarations, thus compelling all its members to impose similar restriction simultaneously.

Achievements and Advantages

The most successful sanction is still considered to be on South Africa in 1977-1991 (thus ending apartheid). There are several unsuccessful ones also like current sanctions on Iraq, North Korea and Russia. In fact the statistics states since 1914, a total of 115 cases we enforced but only 35% were effective. Sanctions sometimes may erupt more ills than corrections like 1941 US-sanction on Japan pushed them to war and 1991 sanction on Iraq bloomed first Gulf war. The Pacific Blockage form of sanction is still prevalent like the one done by India during 1999 Kargil war where Naval troops along Karachi had restricted many vessels with either diplomatic or military forces from entering Karachi, which ultimately led to fuel shortage (as stated by Nawaz Sharif after the war) and withdrawal of reinforcements.

Loopholes

The Globalization of the economy has both helped and weakened Sanction. On one hand countries are depending on foreign trade more with overseas assets but on the other hand several trade treaties and financial powerhouses has emerged as alternatives during sanction. The current sanction on Russia and Iran seems to be ineffective as China and India has decided not to change any policy with them. The enormous oil and natural gas supply from these countries to several small European and African countries have gained them support. Russia being a huge country both in term of economy and physical boundary, is more or less self-sufficient and had previously experienced such moves.

The technological development has made traceability of movement of goods easier but on other hand it has also made secret transactions more secure. The firm stand of North Korea despite sanctions from US and allies clearly state that they are still getting help secretly. Although China is helping openly but there must few other players too. The suspected nuclear advancement of Korea is a result of back-door policy with Pakistan.

The economic sanctions on countries with lesser resources and fragile economy works better. The sanction on countries like Iraq, Kuwait, Burma (now Myanmar), etc. have successfully helped in achieving the desired target. But the sanction imposed on country like India (after first nuclear test back in 1980s) and Russia have made its industrial and economic policies to be intended more towards self-sufficiency. The external effect fusses out with the time.

The countries sometime opt for alternate measures to move their economy forward. The sanction of imports from Cuba had effected it in great way but US neither stopped providing aid to its citizens there nor the tourist visit of Americans. Few years later Cuban tourist boom made USA the second largest source of tourist after Canada.

Another drawback of sanction is that it’s easier to impose but hard to release. The Iranian help to US in ongoing conflict in Iraq against ISIS and the relaxation Cuban sanction cannot pave its path out of White House as they still need the Congress approval which it seems currently not happening. Sanctions may be good or bad but it's efficiency seems to be in doubt.