US Sanctions: Hard to Measure, Often Don’t Work

Key Findings:

1. Effectiveness Unclear:
   • The U.S. Sanction uses many sanctions programs but struggles to know if they work.
   • Why? Hard to separate sanctions’ impact from other factors (e.g., politics, global events).
2. Low Success Rate:
   • Sanctions succeed only ~33% of the time (1 in 3 cases).

✅ When Sanctions Worked:

• Iran (2015): Agreed to limit nuclear activities after UN/US/EU sanctions.
• Apartheid South Africa: UN sanctions helped end racial segregation.
• Post-9/11: Sanctions disrupted terrorist funding.

❌ When Sanctions Failed:

• Cuba: Decades-long embargo didn’t force change.
• 1990s Yugoslavia: Sanctions didn’t achieve goals.
• Venezuela: Current US sanctions haven’t produced desired results.

⚖️ The Sanctions Paradox:

“They’re used most when least likely to work.”

• Why the U.S. loves sanctions: Seen as easier than military action or diplomacy.
• Future trend: More countries will use sanctions despite limited impact.

In short: Sanctions are a popular tool but often fail. Their future looks busy—not because they work well, but because alternatives seem harder.