中新网评：美国“超级大国”是制裁出来的吗？

　　北京4月2日电 (蒋鲤) 《纽约时报》克日揭晓谈论文章，称美国为全球唯一的“制裁超级大国”，并指出美国应该明智地使用这种权力。事实上，动辄提议单边制裁，不仅无法解决问题，缓解地缘冲突，反而会有损美国的全球信托度，最终使美国走向伶仃。

　　据美国财政部宣布的讲述，住手2021财年，美国已生效的制裁措施累计到达9400多项，比20年前增进了近10倍，数目之多令人咋舌。岂非美国的“超级大国”职位是制裁出来的吗？

　　伊朗、叙利亚、古巴、委内瑞拉等国都由于制裁阻碍了正常的对外经贸流动，导致本国经济生长受限，民众生涯水平连续低迷。

　　而另一方面，美国虽然打着“支持乌克兰”的旌旗提议对俄罗斯的严肃制裁，却导致油价高企，令不少欧洲国家苦不堪言。

　　正如美国塔夫茨大学学者丹尼尔•德雷兹纳撰文指出，已往10年间，经济制裁已成为美国险些所有外交问题的首选解决方案。但事实上，美国这种单边制裁正逐渐失去威慑力，俄罗斯和伊朗等国对美国的强硬态度就是美国制裁失败的最好证实。

　　不仅云云，美国一再挥舞“制裁大棒”，盟友也深受其害。在美国的“长臂统领”下，法国“工业明珠”阿尔斯通就曾惨遭美国“肢解”；为珍爱本国自然气行业和维护自己在欧亚区域的地缘政治利益，美国对毗邻德国和俄罗斯的“北溪-2”项目实行多轮制裁，最终导致该项目至今未能完工；上个世纪，日本也在著名的“东芝事宜”中受到美国打压。

　　从本质上讲，这种不分敌友的制裁行为是对他国主权的侵略，不仅损害了他国经济利益，这种“美国优先”的心态也会使美国在全球互助中逐渐被伶仃。

　　肆意对主权国家和他国正当谋划企业执行单边制裁，妄想用政治霸权影响商业秩序，阻碍全球正常经贸互助，就是从侧面反映出，美外洋交影响力逐渐虚弱，在面临经济全球化和天下多极化的历史潮水时，维护霸权职位能用的武器越来越少。

　　当下，全球化历程受阻，各国增强互助、配合维护正常的商业规则和秩序才是全球生长之道。美国挥舞“制裁大棒”，逆潮水而行，极不明智，终会引起越来越多的否决和指斥，使美国走向伶仃。

Sanctions fuel U.S. role as superpower?

By John Lee

如何看待近期中美利差持续收窄

(ECNS) — An opinion work in The New York Times called the U.S. “the only sanctions superpower” and said the country “must use that power wisely.” The U.S. has been keening on using sanction weapons for a long time. Is the “superpower” nurtured by sanctions?

But arbitrary sanctions are by no means a good choice to solve problems or to alleviate geopolitical conflicts. On the contrary, it will gradually damage the world’s trust in the country, eventually leading the U.S. to isolation.

According to the 2021 Sanctions Review released by the U.S. Treasury Department, by fiscal year 2021, the U.S. had over 9,400 effective sanction designations, almost 10 times the number 20 years ago.

U.S. sanctions on countries such as Iran, Syria, Cuba and Venezuela have impeded their normal economic and trade activities with the world, resulting in sluggish economic development and low quality of life for people in those countries.

U.S. sanctions on Russia under the pretext of “backing up Ukraine” have raised global oil prices and many European countries are also suffering from Russian counter-measures.

Daniel W. Drezner, a scholar at Tufts University, pointed out in his article The United States of Sanctions that to anyone paying attention to U.S. foreign policy for the past decade, it has become obvious the United States relies on one tool above all: economic sanctions.

However, such sanctions are losing potency, as evidenced by the tough attitude of Russia and Iran towards the country.

What’s more, U.S. sanctions also affect relations with its allies. For example, the world-famous Alstom of France has been split due to the U.S.’ “long-arm jurisdiction.” The North Stream 2 connecting Germany and Russia is still uncompleted due to obstruction by the U.S., which tries to protect its liquefied natural gas industry and its geopolitical interests in Eurasia. Even Japan has been suppressed by the U.S. in the Toshiba event last century.

Sanctions without distinction are infringements on the sovereignty of other countries and a blow to their economic interests. The “America first” mentality will gradually exclude the country from global cooperation.

The U.S. wantonly imposes unilateral sanctions on sovereign countries and legally operated enterprises, in an attempt to use political hegemony to influence business order and hinder normal global economic and trade cooperation. This reflects that the diplomatic influence of the U.S. is gradually weakening, and that there are fewer cards it can play to maintain its hegemony in the face of economic globalization.

Globalization requires all countries across the world to cooperate and jointly safeguard normal trade rules to promote global development. U.S. sanctions go against this trend, which will eventually trigger worldwide opposition, criticism and isolation.