Partly it is because he likes bashing places like Iran and Venezuela. But that is not the whole story
2017 the Democratic Republic of Congo was in ferment. Joseph Kabila, then the president, seemed to be weighing whether or not to stand in an election, even though he should have left office a year before, having served two full terms, his limit under the country’s constitution. In Kinshasa, the capital, Mr Kabila’s allies remarked casually that perhaps the president would stand again.
America is not alone in imposing targeted sanctions: the European Union and the United Nations have programmes too. But America’s is of special importance because of the country’s position at the heart of the world’s financial system. When individuals suffer sanctions from the Treasury, their assets in America are frozen. But the effect goes further than that. Firms which operate in America, or make payments in dollars, cannot easily deal with individuals on the list.
What has driven this surge in sanctions? According to Marshall Billingslea, an assistant secretary in the Treasury department, it reflects Donald Trump’s innovative “financial statecraft”. Certainly, sanctions seem an ideal tool for a man who wants to put foreigners under lots of pressure but is reluctant to send troops or bombers to do the job.
That raises another question, however—do sanctions work? In a tactical sense, it seems fairly clear that they do. Targeted sanctions make people miserable, says Mr Smith. In October the Zimbabwean government declared a national holiday in order to organise protests against sanctions on its members. Mr Gertler has hired lobbyists including Alan Dershowitz, a prominent lawyer, to try to get off the list.
Singapore Latest News, Singapore Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Donald Trump falls out with the military establishment he once wooedInitially the president packed his administration with military officers. He has since broken with the men he once called 'my generals'
Read more »
Anonymous author says Donald Trump will hear from them 'in my own name' before 2020The unknown writer behind a famous 2018 op-ed also said other administration officials were 'considering adding their voices before votes are cast in 2020.'
Read more »
Opinion | Donald Trump Jr.'s new book highlights the big problem with bestseller listsThe scandal may ultimately be more about the list itself then the authors scratching and clawing their way to the top of it.
Read more »
That Time Donald Trump Left Halfway Through a Performance of 'The Wall'In 2010, the future president attended a Roger Waters performance of Pink Floyd’s masterpiece but didn’t stick around long enough to see the wall fall. Could he have learned something i…
Read more »