Peter M. Lawrence writes that sanctions give leaders enhanced control over restricted supplies, which enhances their powers of patronage. He mentions Idi Amin and Uganda as an example. After finishing my article, I thought of the usual negative which is that leaders are able to blame internal problems that they may be responsible for on the sanctions. They also can rally the people around an enemy who has created the sanctions. These negatives increase the power of the existing regime, rather than weaken it. Let’s not forget the oil-for-food program that Saddam Hussein used to his benefit. That program was a follow-on to sanctions and meant to ameliorate them.

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