Why Sanctions Fail and How to Make Them Work

Published July 14, 2026

As Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea work together to challenge the international order, the United States and other free societies must compete with diplomatic, military, and economic tools of statecraft. Sanctions can be an effective tool, but only when they are tied to realistic objectives, rigorously enforced, and integrated into a broader strategy. Sanctions often fail when they become performative, overly broad, poorly enforced, or detached from other elements of national power. Cases involving the Soviet Union, Iraq, Iran, and other regimes show that effective sanctions require clear objectives, rigorous enforcement, humanitarian safeguards, flexibility, and timely action. Used well, they can help deter aggression, constrain hostile regimes, and support those advocating for freedom.

Learn more from H.R. McMaster:

• Read "Sanctions as a Tool of Economic Statecraft" by H.R. McMaster here.
• Watch "Today's Battlegrounds" with H.R. McMaster here.
• Read "Pride, Agency, and Duty: Study America’s Past to Secure Her Future" by H.R. McMaster here.

Learn more about H.R. McMaster here.

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The opinions expressed in this video are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hoover Institution or Stanford University.

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