15 Mar 22
Someone has to say it. They are not going to hurt Russian oligarchs. Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government.
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders? It only hurts their leaders if they are overthrown, but I don't see much of that happening to the countries that are being heavily sanctioned.
@metal-brain saidWhy are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders?
Someone has to say it. They are not going to hurt Russian oligarchs. Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government.
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders? It only hurts their leaders if they are overthrown, but I don't see much of that happening to the countries that are being heavily sanctioned.
You just answered your own question: "Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government" Most people in Russia have had at least limited access to the internet and know why these sanctions are in place, and know they'll continue until Putin and his minions stop attacking a country that has done them no harm. If the situations were reversed Russia would be doing the same thing - or more to the US.
15 Mar 22
@mchill saidWhat governments have we took out because of sanctions alone?
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders?
You just answered your own question: "Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government" Most people in Russia have had at least limited access to the internet and know why these sanctions are in place, and know they'll continue unti ...[text shortened]... m no harm. If the situations were reversed Russia would be doing the same thing - or more to the US.
My government often applies sanctions before they invade a country. Isn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidSouth Africa’s apartheid regime?
What governments have we took out because of sanctions alone?
My government often applies sanctions before they invade a country. Isn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
@metal-brain saidIsn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
What governments have we took out because of sanctions alone?
My government often applies sanctions before they invade a country. Isn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
Not necessarily. Sanctions could be in response to unfair trade practices by another country i.e., China stealing American technology or patent infringements. North Korea hacking into American company computer systems, or sanctions against Venezuela to make sure that Maduro and his cronies don’t profit from illegal gold mining or state-operated oil operations. The US has no plans to invade any of these countries.
@mchill saidJohn Bolton didn't try to get Trump to invade Venezuela? Iran?
Isn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
Not necessarily. Sanctions could be in response to unfair trade practices by another country i.e., China stealing American technology or patent infringements. North Korea hacking into American company computer systems, or sanctions against Venezuela to make sure that Maduro and his cronies don’t profit from ill ...[text shortened]... gold mining or state-operated oil operations. The US has no plans to invade any of these countries.
North Korea didn't get sanctions imposed because of hacking. Maybe the excuse was used, but that isn't what started sanctions. I suppose you think Kim Jong Un is about to get overthrown at any moment now, right? 😆
"or sanctions against Venezuela to make sure that Maduro and his cronies don’t profit from illegal gold mining or state-operated oil operations."
Illegal gold mining? Where do you come up with this crap?
State-operated oil operations? You mean nationalizing oil operations? Like Iran did before Operation Ajax? Doesn't Mexico have state owned oil or did that change?
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidYou're drifting away from your last post. Sanctions are rarely used to weaken a country prior to invasion; in spite of what John Boulton wants or what North Korea did.
John Bolton didn't try to get Trump to invade Venezuela? Iran?
North Korea didn't get sanctions imposed because of hacking. Maybe the excuse was used, but that isn't what started sanctions. I suppose you think Kim Jong Un is about to get overthrown at any moment now, right? 😆
@mchill saidThen what is the purpose? Sanctions are not toppling any governments. Cuba is still not a capitalist government. Weren't sanctions imposed on Cuba before the Bay of Pigs invasion?
You're drifting away from your last post. Sanctions are rarely used to weaken a country prior to invasion; in spite of what John Boulton wants or what North Korea did.
History doesn't seem to reflect your opinion on this.
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidDoes the word 'punishment' really have no meaning for you? How about 'consequences'?
Then what is the purpose? Sanctions are not toppling any governments. Cuba is still not a capitalist government. Weren't sanctions imposed on Cuba before the Bay of Pigs invasion?
History doesn't seem to reflect your opinion on this.
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidIt’s a civilised option to murdering innocent men women and children. Perhaps you should ask your president in the Kremlin to give it a go instead of his constant shelling and bombing of residential areas.
Someone has to say it. They are not going to hurt Russian oligarchs. Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government.
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders? It only hurts their leaders if they are overthrown, but I don't see much of that happening to the countries that are being heavily sanctioned.
15 Mar 22
@kevcvs57 saidIt's not really as civilised as you make out.
It’s a civilised option to murdering innocent men women and children. Perhaps you should ask your president in the Kremlin to give it a go instead of his constant shelling and bombing of residential areas.
It's the modern-day version of a siege (slow tactic with fewer casualties to one's own army).
It is more agreeable to bombing, but it's still targetting civilians.
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidThe Russian people are not children they are totally responsible for the far right authoritarian Putin who the majority have been lauding as a their strong man leader for years.
Someone has to say it. They are not going to hurt Russian oligarchs. Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government.
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders? It only hurts their leaders if they are overthrown, but I don't see much of that happening to the countries that are being heavily sanctioned.
I do not wish them any harm I wish for them to follow the lead of some of their brave comrades and stand up to putin and his fascist regime. Sanctions will help them in their fight because the first people authoritarians turn their weapons on is their own internal opposition.
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain said“ Someone has to say it. ”
Someone has to say it. They are not going to hurt Russian oligarchs. Sanctions are to hurt the common people of a country so they take it out on their government.
Why are we targeting innocent civilians and fooling ourselves into thinking it hurts their leaders? It only hurts their leaders if they are overthrown, but I don't see much of that happening to the countries that are being heavily sanctioned.
Haha it must be a nightmare for you MB
15 Mar 22
@metal-brain saidSanctions aren't always take out governments. Sometimes it's to get them to stop doing a certain action.
What governments have we took out because of sanctions alone?
My government often applies sanctions before they invade a country. Isn't the real purpose to weaken a country prior to invasion?
Iran was heavily sanctioned because it was developing nuclear weapons; they finally relented and entered the nuclear, an effort squandered by Trump.
I'm not in favor of sanctions either. But sometimes they're the only alternative outside of outright war, which should definitely be avoided.
15 Mar 22
@shavixmir saidWell that’s a very dramatic interpretation to say the least. Russia isn’t some third world country trying to eke out a living on marginal land. It’s one of the biggest wheat growers on the planet with plentiful natural resources and more than enough capacity for making its own medicines etc. If the Russian people go in any way hungry due to these sanctions it’s because the Putin regime has decided to rip the food from out of their mouths to pay for more murder machines, but hey you can always blame that on the west and NATO too, and you probably will.
It's not really as civilised as you make out.
It's the modern-day version of a siege (slow tactic with fewer casualties to one's own army).
It is more agreeable to bombing, but it's still targetting civilians.
It is indicative of some peoples attitude to the suffering of the Ukrainian people that you think it’s is somehow analogous with being sanctioned.