[Suppafly]

>To this casual bystander it seems like they usually hurt innocent citizens far more than the leaders of the usually authoritarion regime that it targets.

That's kinda the point. The common folk put pressure on their leaders to correct their behavior.

[riehwvfbk]

"Here, we'll hurt you so you'll go fight the guy who claims he's the only one protecting you from us."

Has that strategy ever worked?

[Wytwwww]

South Africa? Rhodesia?

But sure.. usually it doesn't really work out.

Of course weakening the target country economically, politically and militarily is still better than nothing,

[wiseowise]

Russians had every opportunity to kick out nuclear gnome before sanctions kicked in, but alas.

[tryauuum]

western people had plenty of time to stop buying russian oil after the Crimea was stolen in 2014, but alas, they wanted to sponsor russian military and police so badly

[thayne]

That assumes the common folk can put pressure on their leaders, which is usually not the case for countries targeted by sanctions from the US, which usually have autocratic or otherwise authoritarian governments.

[nradov]

History is full of violent revolutions against autocratic governments. We should inflict maximum pain on the Russian populace. Be as cruel as possible. Keep the pressure on. Eventually it might pay off. And even if it doesn't work, it serves as an object lesson to other countries on the consequences of opposing US policies.

[throw-the-towel]

So, what you want is essentially pushing a whole country's population around for your own amusement? Very motivating, not gonna lie!

[nradov]

Amusement has nothing to do with it. This is one method among many for pursuing national geopolitical goals. It's a shame that the Russian populace has to suffer, I bear them no ill will. But if they ever want to get out of international sanctions then they know what they need to do.

[account42]

Like it or not, the leader derives his power from the populace. An autocrat is powerless without people going along.

[wiseowise]

Buy a ticket to Ukraine right about now and ask Ukrainians how amused are they. And don’t forget to visit every country that had to take millions of refugees.