how an embargo works
countries use embargoes to punish and deter objectionable behavior without resorting to military force often in response to human rights violations and armed conflict a widely observed embargo can be a powerful tool isolating the targeted country and denying it the benefits of international trade countries dependent on global trade or technology imports are especially vulnerable to embargoes in contrast determined authoritarian regimes have successfully resisted embargoes for decades often at immense cost to living standards u s trade embargoesthe u s has imposed long running and comprehensive trade embargoes on cuba north korea iran and syria countries whose policies it finds particularly objectionable those embargoes are backed by a variety of legislative acts and presidential orders 1the u s president has the authority to impose embargoes and other sanctions during times of war under the trading with the enemy act 2another act the international emergency economic powers act authorizes the president to enact commerce restrictions during strictly defined periods of national emergency 3in the u s the office of foreign assets control a division of the department of the treasury administers embargoes the office also plays a central role in tracking down and freezing sources of funding for terrorist and drug trafficking organizations 4effect of embargoesembargoes rarely result in a change in policy much less in the targeted country s government for example the u s embargo on cuba in effect since 1962 has failed to oust the country s governing communist party or to persuade it to tolerate dissent similarly the embargo on oil exports to the u s imposed by arab members of the organization of the petroleum exporting countries opec during the 1973 arab israeli war failed to end u s support for israel embargoes can be successful in their goal of punishing the targeted country however for example the 1973 1974 arab oil embargo caused fuel shortages rationing and soaring gas prices increasing the cost of america s foreign policy 5in the 1980s limited trade restrictions imposed on south africa along with investment and other economic sanctions by several countries including the u s hastened the end of apartheid 6limited trade sanctions imposed on russia following its invasion and occupation of parts of ukraine in 2014 failed to deter renewed russian aggression in 2022 the broader u s and allied sanctions imposed since february 2022 have reportedly deprived the russian military of semiconductors vital for military electronics as well as parts needed to manufacture tanks 78the boycott divestment and sanctions movement which uses the south africa model to promote sanctions punishing israel for occupying palestinian territory has prompted fierce opposition from israel and its allies in an indication of the high costs such sanctions could impose 910criticism of embargoesin addition to their limited likelihood of prompting a policy change by the targeted country embargoes have been criticized for hurting subject populations with no role in setting or carrying out the objectionable policies notably the international economic embargo imposed on iraq following its 1990 invasion of kuwait drew criticism for hurting the poorest and sickest iraqis the most 11 similar arguments have been made in opposition to the u s embargo on iran over violations of the nuclear non proliferation treaty 12