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

US sanctions on North Korea
https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/north-korea-sanctions-un-nuclear-weapons

UAE stealing billions of Africa’s gold
https://apnews.com/article/gold-smuggling-africa-uae-switzerland-e1a614c465766f1c3e90fb9e5a5167a2

Congo gold through Rwanda/Uganda to Dubai
https://www.miningweekly.com/article/billions-in-african-gold-smuggled-to-uae-yearly-swissaid-says-2024-05-30

Mali gold smuggled to Dubai
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-29/billions-in-african-gold-smuggled-to-uae-yearly-swissaid-says

UAE backs RSF
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-minerals/exposing-rsfs-secret-financial-network/

UAE purchase of conflict gold from Sudan
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-minerals/beneath-shine-tale-two-gold-refiners/

US frustrates investigations into UAE
https://www.globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/conflict-minerals/beneath-shine-tale-two-gold-refiners/
https://www.politico.eu/article/united-arab-emirates-eu-france-ergmany-uswest-wants-to-look-the-other-way-on-uae-money-laundering/
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-uae-dropped-financial-crime-153446297.html?guccounter=1