Sanctions For Thee But Not UAE

The US wields significant global economic influence through the dollar, often shaping international outcomes to align with its interests. This power raises questions of justice, as seen in cases like Cuba and North Korea. In Cuba, decades-long sanctions and embargoes punished socialist reforms such as land nationalisation and healthcare improvements. North Korea, meanwhile, faces severe sanctions due to its nuclear-weapons programme, exacerbating economic hardship.

In stark contrast to this is the US response to the United Arab Emirates. Despite well-documented evidence that Abu Dhabi is heavily involved in illicit African gold trading, funds paramilitary groups and contributes to human-rights abuses in Africa, Washington has refrained from taking decisive action – out of fear of upsetting its ally.

Sources

Why US sanctions are dangerous

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/06/this-is-why-the-us-dollar-is-a-potent-sanctions-weapon-for-now/

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/16/opinion/us-russia-sanctions-power-economy.html

Sanctions on Cuba

https://www.state.gov/cuba-sanctions/

Cuba before socialism

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/05/18/fulgencio-batista-one-of-the-worst-and-most-cowardly-dictators-in-history/

Cuba after the revolution

https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/05/18/fulgencio-batista-one-of-the-worst-and-most-cowardly-dictators-in-history/

US war on North Korea

https://www.vox.com/2015/8/3/9089913/north-korea-us-war-crime