Do Economic Sanctions Work

AW the thought of assassinating Putin and all his cronies are nice and all, but you can bet there will always be another person in line to jump in on the chaos and use it to his advantage to become the next Putin. Like has been said, I think sanctions work on some countries and don't work on others. The ones it doesn't work on are the ones that don't play by the rules, like Russia. Sure they might lose a little money on it, but if Putin has his fingers in every business' pockets like has been suggested (unverified) it won't hurt as much. I also agree with TMC, I am tired of being the savior for everyone else's problems, but you have to pick and choose your battles. If England or one of our other major allies had a problem and needed our help, of course I'd help. But we can't always be the savior for every country.

I would agree, but the Russian scenario would at least slow then down for a while.
I would hate to see them get The Ukraine back....

Ok, assassinations start world wars. Let's look for other answers.

Ok, assassinations start world wars. Let's look for other answers.

You sure? The idea of ridding the world of Putin and all his cronies sure sounds enticing. And if we do it right nobody can blame it on us (even though they obviously would). Besides, what other country would have a problem with another country eliminating the leader of a world power?

You sure? The idea of ridding the world of Putin and all his cronies sure sounds enticing. And if we do it right nobody can blame it on us (even though they obviously would). Besides, what other country would have a problem with another country eliminating the leader of a world power?

Maybe we could convince Kim Jung Un's girl friends that they ought to cozy up to Putin. Then we do the deed framing NK, Russia nukes NK, NK tries to respond but the missile lands in Tehran, Iran thinks China prompted NK to do it so they nuke Beijing, and we calmly offer our services to help clean all the radiation up!

Maybe we could convince Kim Jung Un's girl friends that they ought to cozy up to Putin. Then we do the deed framing NK, Russia nukes NK, NK tries to respond but the missile lands in Tehran, Iran thinks China prompted NK to do it so they nuke Beijing, and we calmly offer our services to help clean all the radiation up!

It's brilliant! Somebody get this man a job with our administration.

Twitter insults?

Only works if they're bigly

I think it can work if a country has enough to lose. It did definitely influence Iran and brought them to the negotiating table with Obama. Whether or not that's a good or bad thing is another discussion. But it definitely strangled Iran's capital to the point where it was willing to negotiate.

But yeah, every time a nation violates international norms or laws, you as the most powerful nation in the world have to decide what you're willing to do about it. Is the violation really worth the lives of our military?

There's a red line somewhere. It's like porn, I don't know the definition and I don't know where the red line is, but I know it when I see it.

So far I would agree nothing with Russia or China has gotten me anywhere close to the point where I definitely see the red line. Syria's use of nerve gas against its own people, that was a different story. I don't think I would have been able to let that go, if I were president.

Of course, then your reward for doing the right thing would be miring yourself in a Syrian nightmare of a power vacuum.

Sometimes there's no good answer.

I think it can work if a country has enough to lose. It did definitely influence Iran and brought them to the negotiating table with Obama. Whether or not that's a good or bad thing is another discussion. But it definitely strangled Iran's capital to the point where it was willing to negotiate.

But yeah, every time a nation violates international norms or laws, you as the most powerful nation in the world have to decide what you're willing to do about it. Is the violation really worth the lives of our military?

There's a red line somewhere. It's like porn, I don't know the definition and I don't know where the red line is, but I know it when I see it.

So far I would agree nothing with Russia or China has gotten me anywhere close to the point where I definitely see the red line. Syria's use of nerve gas against its own people, that was a different story. I don't think I would have been able to let that go, if I were president.

Of course, then your reward for doing the right thing would be miring yourself in a Syrian nightmare of a power vacuum.

Sometimes there's no good answer.

Reviving this post for the NK situation. I am curious if any here could define a line where a military solution becomes viable. I am talking about the old shock and awe type solution, not a flyover or decapitation strategy.

It's my opinion that the NK army is a straw man like the first gulf war. I believe that if you barrage the frontline artillery positions that can reach Seoul, and at the same time take out the known missile launchers, that the North soldiers would surrender en masse.

BUT, At what point is that option even viable?
Now, I don't think so.

but what if a missile lands at or near Guam? or Alaska?

What is your point of no return? As Schneed said above: There's a red line somewhere. It's like porn, I don't know the definition and I don't know where the red line is, but I know it when I see it.

I think these missiles over Japan is enough to warrant some kind of action (from them). If Canada was constantly lobbing missiles over into the Gulf, I have a feeling we wouldn't put up with it.

I think these missiles over Japan is enough to warrant some kind of action (from them). If Canada was constantly lobbing missiles over into the Gulf, I have a feeling we wouldn't put up with it.

I agree with this. The Japanese are our allies and right now they have an immediate threat not too far away that is capable of reaching their homeland.

Nukes are not the solution, the NK people deserve better especially considering the daily hell they live in. I wish we could just throw major boots on the ground and have Kim Jong Un dead in a week but I honestly have zero idea how viable that option is. And of course you'd have to think of the repercussions with China, but sooner or later they have to realize supporting a dictator will have some blowback on them when the dictator eventually falls.