Dick Lugar: “the role of unilateral economic sanctions in the conduct of American foreign policy has been part of our debate in the…”

“the role of unilateral economic sanctions in the conduct of American foreign policy has been part of our debate in the Congress and in the executive branch for the past three years. Attempts to modify or reform the way the United States utilizes unilateral economic sanctions in the conduct of our foreign policy have consumed the attention of several committees, spawned numerous sanctions reform bills--including my own efforts--resolutions and amendments, generated a number of floor debates, stimulated countless discussions within this body and with the administration and prompted many press conferences and news releases. It even moved the distinguished Majority Leader to appoint an ad hoc bipartisan Senate task force to sort through the issue in the hopes of finding a policy path or sanctions that best promotes our national interest. Outside the United States Government, virtually every think tank, university, trade association, and foreign policy association has invested time and resources to studying, analyzing and making recommendations on the subject of unilateral economic sanctions. This is as it should be. The subject is integral to our approach on foreign policy, national security and international trade. I have been pleased that our debate and the large volume of literature have led to considerable re-thinking about the efficacy of unilateral economic sanctions.”