In fact, they are sometimes counterproductive and harmful to the very people we are trying to help. A number of studies have concluded that sanctions, both unilateral and multilateral, have worked less than half the time since the early 1970s. Unilateral measures have been especially ineffective. Unilateral sanctions rarely work because the world economy has become too interdependent. When we deny a country access to our products or our markets, it has plenty of alternatives.
Multilateral sanctions are a different story.
They can be an effective foreign policy tool in certain circumstances. Weak Information Base One of the most alarming aspects of U.S. sanctions policy, in my view, is the weak information base upon which most unilateral sanction decisions are typically made. Several dozen U.S. laws authorize the President to impose sanctions of one kind or another. There are few, if any, opportunities for public comment. This stands in marked contrast to our trade sanction and trade remedy laws, which often require an economic impact assessment and public comment before the President imposes any measures.