Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the U.S. Department of the Treasury froze Afghanistan Central Bank’s reserves. The Taliban is currently on the Treasury’s “Specially Designated Nationals” list.
In the backdrop of a humanitarian crisis unfolding in Afghanistan, many commentators and analysts have argued that the economic sanctions should be lifted to address the dire economic situation in the country. While the effectiveness of economic sanctions is widely debated, a number of studies illustrate that economic sanctions are effective when levied against countries with small economies and when modest policy goals are the goal.
Why shouldn’t the U.S. lift the economic sanctions?
