Originally posted by WhiteHawk
I think sanctions are most effective in limiting the financial power of a country rather than forcing them to comply.
Exactly! They will still do as they please within their own borders. They will reassign limited resources to attain their goal. Their citizens will suffer from this. They will make propaganda blaming the sanctioning parties for this suffering. They will gain their stated national goal. Then they will look to impose their will on their neighbors and make retribution on the sanctioning parties.
When faced with a difficult problem one can often reduce it to the smallest units of participation to gain an understanding of the larger issue.
You live in a gated community. The Home Owners Association (UN) has ruled that no firearms may be brought into the community and those who already have firearms may keep them. You and six other residences are known to own firearms. It is suspected that several others may own them as well.
It is allowed that everyone may possess slingshots and baseball bats for defense of their residence.
One of your neighbors, a few blocks away, has a feud with another of your neighbors. They are both separated a few blocks. This person is slight of build and knows that he will not prevail against the other neighbor in a battle of slingshots and baseball bats. He also suspects that his opponent owns an undeclared firearm.
Reports start to circulate in the community that the belligerent neighbor is building a firearm in his basement shop. Granted, his firearm will be primitive compared to the modern ones owned by others. His will be a flint lock model.
The Home Owners Association meets and discusses the matter. They agree that invading his home to stop this activity is not allowed. They also agree that his activity is not good. To deter him they impose sanctions on him. His electricity and water is shut off. Deliveries to him are restricted and inspected to insure he is not importing the means to accomplish his goal.
This serves only to slow him down. He has limited resources to generate some electricity. He digs a well for water. Neighbors, concerned for the health of his family (citizens), sneak supplies to him that could have a dual use. Besides, they say, he won’t use it even if he makes it. He rewards their good deeds with money. It is reported that his efforts in the basement continue. Activities observed on his property indicate he is making progress on his firearm.
What do you do? Nothing: He finishes his firearm and using a fast sports car, which cannot be intercepted, drives over to the neighbor he is in dispute with and shoots him.
Act: You invade his home, destroy his means to manufacture a firearm. He resists the effort and you use your firearm to defeat him. His family is liberated from the depravation and abuse he has inflicted upon them to gain his goal.
