- This topic has 12 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 11 months ago by .
-
Posts
-
The US uses sanctions as a tool against Iran/NK וכו׳,
Does it work? All it does is, causing the heads of states to further quiten their citizens & if necessary kill them when they protest & in the meantime fill their pockets with whatever is on their wishlist,
So why should the ordinary day to day citizens suffer because of their heads of states actions?
Yes, in the long run (???? Not so sure) it might work, what do you call LONG RUN? is it fair?
Your polite opinion will be appreciated without going personal please
CheersIt does not work. Cuba has been under US sanctions for the last almost 70 years in order to attempt to get rid of the Castro regime. Total failure. The same with North Korea. And virtually all other examples.
We just discussed – you do not return lost money to a non-Jewish person, at least in the case where non-Jews are abusive of us. This does not mean you should steal from him, you should just not do him a favor that strengthens him. In the modern world, we are free to do business with whomever we want and patronizing someone’s business is doing them a favor as this strengthen him – not just by the profit he is earning, but he can pay his own workers, and develop stronger industries.
We did not lose much from boycotting Cuba, there are other places where you can travel. We should not do business with other dictators also. Instead, buy from countries that are standing up to them – Israel, of course, Taiwan, Ukraine, etc.
AAQ: What third-rate product would you expect from Ukraine?
ujm, good question here. According to google – steel, heavy industry, coal, wheat. Maybe they have vodka instead of Stoli? Boycott NordStream 2 for one that will deprive them from Russian transit fees and allow Russians to attack without hurting their gas customers in Western Europe.
Diplomats, high-ranking armed forces personnel, and foreign policy experts have been evaluating the effectiveness of sanctions and military action for at least a hundred years. They will reach better conclusions than the rest of us, especially, me.
huju: Sanctions are imposed by politicians, not by diplomats, high-ranking armed forces personnel, or even by foreign policy experts. Politicians on both sides of the aisle crave for the Cuban-American vote (to take one example.) The Cuban-American man on the street demands sanctions. He is no foreign policy experts and neither are the vast majority of the 535 Congressmen and Senators who coded the Cuban sanctions into US law.
Politics wins over the best foreign policy any day of the year.
ujm > Cuban-American man on the street demands sanctions
I would trust his opinion. A person who knows what he is talking about. OK to layer it over with some foreign policy wisdom, but not to reject it.
To ujm: Sanctions are imposed by government executives, e.g., the US president. The best of them listen to experts. The rest them play politics or listen to their gut instincts.
To huju: Congress codified sanctions against Cuba into US law. The president is powerless to discontinue them. Congress are mostly non-experts.
Maybe bias for “no sanctions” is due to modern era of “free trade”. This is reflected in statements “sanctions do not work” that are to be proven or disproven. This free trade era is due to having a large number of countries that are not at war with each other. This bias is not applicable to unfriendly countries, and we need to analyze the issue on merits. In your life, when you have a choice between a nice store owner and business partner and a bully, you would surely choose the former.
What is the reason NOT to have sanctions and strengthen a bad regime?
Cigars? You need to vacation there? Access cheap health care? Drive a vintage 1950 car?
A possible case may be made that trade will make life of Cuban people better and, maybe, eventually a better regime. Here is where I would trust the Cubans on what is a better option.“A possible case may be made that trade will make life of Cuban people better”
That’s really the entire case. Sanctions cause that innocent civilians to suffer. Usually the regime is living in luxury despite the sanctions. And sanctions have historically NOT effected regime change. That much is proven. So what exactly IS gained with the sanctions?
ujm > That’s really the entire case
I don’t think you proved that. Here I am suggesting to consult actual free Cubans, many of whom have relatives back on the island and know the situation. For some reason, they seem to be adamant to be against supporting the regime. But maybe, as in other cases, we can come up with approaches that are both helping Cubans and not supporting the regime? Maybe beaming free internet, increasing information services, sending food & medicine directly to dissidents or just random Cubans? For example, parachuting food, clothes, and unlocked phones? US is pretty close to Cuba to be able to do that.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.