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• Daniel Larison in The American Conservative:

“Sanctions usually fail to change the behavior of the targeted government, but beyond that, they can have additional costs for the U.S. that are rarely considered.”

Mr. Larison focuses on the repercussions that sanctions against Russia will have on the relationship between the United States and the European Union, noting that American allies in Europe “understandably resent having their companies punished for the behavior of another government.” Read more »

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• Harry J. Kazianis in The Week:

“Washington needs to start worrying about the possibility of an alliance it won’t be thrilled about: Russia and North Korea.”

Another potential unintended consequence of the sanctions is what Mr. Kazianis calls a “reunion of old comrades.” He writes that “shared enemies plus shared interests equal shared goals,” and that the American actions may just align the interests of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader. Read more »

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• Michael Rubin in Commentary:

“If parity is important, it’s time for Putin to choose which of the Russian consulates get closed. To be frank, the Russian consulates in Seattle and San Francisco probably focus on industrial espionage as much as normal consular duties, anyway.”