Marjorie Taylor Greene Exposes the Futility of Sanctions Against Russia

By
Jose Nino
-

There comes a point when believing in too much conventional wisdom in politics becomes a dangerous proposition. 

The media and the academia insist that the imposition of punitive economic sanctions is a commonsense measure to get otherwise rogue states to change their political behavior. 

In the present Russo-Ukrainian War, these kinds of sanctions have reared their ugly heads again as the US government and its satrapies in Europe have unilaterally imposed sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

Like clockwork, the sanctions have not undermined Russia’s military efforts – the Eurasian nuclear power continues to encircle Ukrainian forces in Eastern Ukraine. Moreover, these sanctions have not threatened Russian strongman Vladimir Putin’s political power, much less create a significant regime change wave in Russia. 

Very few elected officials in the US understand the vast implications of their sanctions policies.

On May 5, 2022, Marjorie Taylor Greene reminded political onlookers about the dangers of the US’s sanctions policies.

She tweeted, “Biden’s March 8th sanctions on Russian oil has not stopped Putin’s war in Ukraine, it’s just driven Russia’s sales to India & China.

Diesel is now at avg $5.50/gal.

This is devastating to truckers, farmers, construction, and our supply chain, and past $6/gal will be dangerous.”

Greene has remained one of the most consistent opponents of punitive sanctions on Russia. 

Because let’s face it, sanctions constitute an act of war. They mostly hurt the native populations and make them gravitate towards authoritarian governments through rally around the flag effects. 

This is the problem with the foreign policy flunkies in DC, they don’t understand the geopolitical dynamics of the new multipolar era where the US can’t just lumber around and act abroad unilaterally without consequences.

Now, any time the US sanctions countries, they can just pact together and form competing military alliances and economic zones. That’s the way things are breaking down in this new era of increased geopolitical competition.

Moreover, the US should not forget its history. Contrary to popular belief, sanctions constitute a belligerent action.

Such sanctions were used against Imperial Japan in efforts to stop it from expanding across East and Southeast Asia. However, not only was Japan not deterred by the sanctions, it was backed into a corner after the US was able to impose a combination of sanctions and a trade embargo. 

This compelled Japan to act recklessly and attack Pearl Harbor, a desperate effort to resolve the security dilemma taking a place in the Pacific. However, this proved to be a severe miscalculation as Japan would be decisively defeated in World War II.

While the US’s victory was a positive development. It was ultimately a poisoned chalice. Since then the US has had to assume an outsized imperial role on the world stage, which has been quite costly in terms of manpower and financial treasure. In the meantime, it has ignored its southern border and has shifted resources that would otherwise be allocated towards its middle class to fund its vast security network abroad. 

It’s no coincidence how the rise of the US as an empire has coincided with the hollowing out of the middle class and an overall decline in the culture. 

Despite all the hate Greene receives, she’s on the mark here about sanctions. Unfortunately, her colleagues will continue indulging in regime change fantasies and imposing sanctions on countries that anger the DC Blob.