The Ripple Effects of U.S. Sanctions

Paul Mirengoff at Power Line links to a Caroline Glick article at her eponymous website; the article likely originally appeared in Israel in Hebrew. Glick argues Trump's economic sanctions on Iran are indirectly causing the rioting and unrest in Iraq and Lebanon.

The troubles in Iraq are directed at Shiite militias and those in Lebanon are directed at Iran's proxy, Hezbollah. She attributes the causal chain as Iran being unable to continue subsidies to its proxies in the two countries, and their consequent (unpopular) need to rip off locals to fund their activities. She writes:

To date, the Trump administration’s maximum pressure strategy has not managed to bring the regime down. And it is unlikely that on their own, US economic sanctions will suffice to ever bring it down.

Yet as the mass demonstrations against Iran and its proxies in Lebanon and Iraq make clear, the American strategy can and is undermining Iranian domestic and regional power and stability.

And that, dear reader, is no bad thing. Mucking up Iran's desired role as regional hegemon is an entirely useful aim. Another triumph for the Trump foreign policy.