US Sanctioning Itself Into Economic Ruin

Three months ago, the US cut off Russian oil and imposed draconian sanctions on Russia for their Ukraine war. President Biden admitted our action might bump up gas prices, but “we cannot turn a blind eye to Putin’s murderous ways.” NATO countries followed suit.

Now US and NATO countries are suffering both economically and politically as gas keeps rising while public support for US involvement in Ukraine is collapsing like the Ukraine military.

After initial outrage, most now realize the war there does not affect US national security, nor their personal interests, one iota. Those who seeks the facts know America and NATO provoked the war for years by expanding NATO up to Russia’s borders. They also realize Ukraine has been killing Russian speaking Ukrainians on Russia’s border since 2014, after the US helped Ukraine ultranationalists depose an elected Russian leaning Ukraine president. That made Russia’s war, though criminal, inevitable.

Now they know our draconian sanctions have backfired. As gas goes up, up and away, Russia is selling more oil than ever to Asia, Latin America and Africa, all of whom want nothing to do with the West’s delusional attempt to defeat Russia militarily rather than negotiate a peace to save Ukraine from complete destruction.

The non NATO world is tired of America’s desire to dominate Mother Earth, viewing Russia’s pushback as comeuppance and a move toward a multipolar world.

Further promoting US economic self-destruction is our continuing embargo of oil from huge producers Iran and Venezuela, again for reasons having nothing to do with America’s vital interests.

The hypocrisy of US outrage over Russia’s war is highlighted by our support for Saudi Arabia’s 7 year destruction of Yemen that has killed over 400,000, dwarfing Russia’s death toll in Ukraine. While cutting off Uncle Sam’s nose over Russian aggression, Biden is galloping 7,000 miles, soul in hand, to personally beg head Saudi headchopper, Mohammad bin Salman, for more oil.

To sum up. Ukraine has been defeated but the US won’t let them quit in our quixotic attempt to isolate, weaken Russia. With no chance of success, we’re embargoing Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan oil and blaming skyrocketing gas prices all on Putin. Come November, gas crunched Americans are poised to punish Biden and the Democrats, turning Congress over to the Republicans. In 2 years the GOP may take over the White House. No friends of peace, Republicans will continue insane American foreign policy till America truly is a second rate economic and political power.

I wish I were making this up.

Walt Zlotow became involved in antiwar activities upon entering University of Chicago in 1963. He is current president of the West Suburban Peace Coalition based in the Chicago western suburbs. He blogs daily on antiwar and other issues at www.heartlandprogressive.blogspot.com.

5 thoughts on “US Sanctioning Itself Into Economic Ruin”

  1. “The hypocrisy of US outrage over Russia’s war is highlighted by our support for Saudi Arabia’s 7 year destruction of Yemen that has killed over 400,000, dwarfing Russia’s death toll in Ukraine.”

    That was the old highlight. The new highlight came when former president Bush flat ass admitted recently that what the US did in Iraq was equivalent to what Russia is doing in Ukraine. Of course, the death toll in that war was much greater than Russia’s war in Ukraine also. And Bush left out the part that Russia actually had legitimate concerns as compared to his administration’s pack of vicious lies but that’s another story in itself.

  2. Don’t worry Folks, Russia will never be able to compete with the World’s most active War Monger and Killers, the USA.

  3. Biden is an ineffective president, even more ineffective than Obama, Trump and W were. We need more 3rd parties to convince people to vote for them and to make the Republican and Democratic Parties go the way of the Whig Party. They would have to be parties that are antiwar no matter what party is in charge and anti sanctions parties no matter what party is in charge and parties that end aid to Israel and Saudi Arabia and make them end their wars and make Israel end its settlements and end its persecution of Arabs and other non Jews in Israel.

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