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Cash, arms and yachts: Why all sanctions are not created equal

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With military force not a feasible option, the United States is relying on sanctions to cripple Russia and avoid a world war. Russia is far from the only country facing America’s financial wrath through the use of sanctions. The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctions on more than two dozen entities at the moment.

“When it comes to sanctions, I think, as you heard the President say, everything is on the table,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Countries and coalitions often turn to sanctions as a punishment or deterrent because they can demonstrate disapproval without bringing in the military. Sanctions can be applied on countries, like the United States has enforced against Cuba, or even individual people, like Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. 

America utilizes a country-based sanction against Cuba, meaning nothing from the country is going to America, and nothing from the United States goes to Cuba. 

An arms embargo represents the most common form of list-based sanction. The United States currently has an arms embargo on Cambodia, citing Chinese influence on the small southeast Asian country. 

Governments and entities can also invoke targeted sanctions. This would include the United State’s recent ban on Russian oil.  

The European Union, the United Nations, and the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control constitute the three main sanctions regimes. Regardless of which entity enforces sanctions, violating a sanction is a crime.

Annie Andersen: IT’S THE HOT WORD ON CAPITOL HILL

[TAKE SOT] SEN. JAMES LANKFORD (R-OK)

<<”Sanctions”>>

[TAKE SOT] SEN. MARK WARNER (D-VA)

<<”Sanctions”>>

TAKE SOT- LEADER KEVIN MCCARTHY (R-CA)

<<”Sanctions”>> 

Annie Andersen: AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE CRACKING OPEN OUR D-C DICTIONARY TO TAKE A LOOK AT SANCTIONS.

SANCTIONS ARE a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule…. BUT REALLY THEY ARE ONE OF THE ONLY WAYS A GOVERNMENT CAN PUNISH ANOTHER WHERE IT HURTS

-financially. 

And WITHOUT BRINGING IN THE MILITARY. 

TAKE SOT- PRESIDENT BIDEN

<<”The sanctions we imposed exceed anything that’s ever been done.”>>

Annie Andersen THERE ARE DIFFERENT KINDS OF SANCTIONS… currently the THE U-S has ordered sanctions on  more than two dozen countries or groups

THERE ARE THREE MAIN TYPES.. COUNTRY BASED, LIST BASE AND TARGETED.

THEY CAN INVOLVE JUST ONE COUNTRY.. OR SEVERAL, LIKE THE U-N OR THE EUROPEAN UNION. 

AND THEY CAN INCLUDE TRAVEL BANS, ASSET FREEZES, ARMS EMBARGOES, AND TRADE RESTRICTIONS.

TAKE SOT- ANTONY BLINKEN

<<”When it comes to sanctions, I think, as you heard the President say, everything is on the table.”>>

Annie Andersen: ONE VERSION OF A SANCTION IS A TRADE EMBARGO

LIKE THE U-S ONE ON CUBA. it is COUNTRY BASED. 

NOTHING FROM AMERICA can go into CUBA, 

and nothing from Cuba can come here. 

THEN THERE ARE TARGETED SANCTIONS- THIS CAN BE TO PEOPLE OR EVEN INDUSTRIES..

 LIKE BANNING THE SUPPLY OF OIL. 

TAKE SOT- Joe Biden

<<“I’m announcing the United States is targeting the main artery of Russia’s economy. We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and gas and energy.”>>

Annie Andersen: ANOTHER VERSION OF SANCTIONS ARE LIST BASED ONES

THE MOST COMMON TYPE ARE WEAPONS EMBARGOES… 

MEANING WEAPONS WON’T BE SENT. 

SWEDEN SANCTIONED THE UNITED STATES UPSET ABOUT 

U-S INVOLVEMENT IN THE VIETNAM WAR REFUSING TO SEND A MACHINE GUN THE NAVY SEALS USED.

LIST BASED SANCTIONS ALSO INCLUDE THE REALLY JUICY ONES– THE FINANCIAL ONES.

SAY YOU HAVE A GIANT YACHT..

 OR A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE IN AMERICA.. IF YOU’RE SANCTIONED.. YOU LOSE IT.. THE U-S CAN SEIZE IT. 

TAKE SOT-  Joe BidenBIDEN

<<”seize their yachts, their luxury apartments, their private jets.  (Applause.)  We’re coming for your ill-begotten gains.”>>

Annie Andersen And ASSETS CAN also BE FROZEN

TERRORIST GROUPS, INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE CAN BE SANCTIONED…. OR EVEN BANKS. 

THE THREE MAIN SANCTION REGIMES ARE THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE U-N AND THE U-S’ OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL. 

REGARDLESS OF WHO IS IN CHARGE- IT’S A CRIME  TO GO AGAINST A SANCTION. 

AND WHO WANTS TO BE SANCTIONED OVER SANCTIONS?

WANT A PHRASE BROKEN DOWN FOR OUR NEXT D-C DICTIONARY? LET ME KNOW.