International Sanctions were a great idea in the 20th Century. However, in the 21st Century, ingenuity and multiple transportation means have apparently rendered such actions ineffective.

Recent sanctions by the International community on rogue countries have apparently not produced the desired outcome. There was no evidence before the Gulf war that sanctions had any effect on Iraq. To date there is no evidence that sanctions had any impact on Libya and Iran does not appear to be influenced or encouraged to change course.

Sometimes great ideas are unsuccessful or outlive their usefulness. Continuation of such ideas is foolhardy. Failure is doing the same thing continuously and expecting different results. While sanctions are possible, complete enforcement is impossible. The International community can monitor seaports but what about the Air, Road, and Rail. It is unlikely that the International community can monitor any indigenous population close enough to eliminate the transportation of sanctioned goods or services along alternative paths within rogue countries.

Elements with Black market tendencies are always looking to profit from sanction conditions. In this dismal world economic climate, even elements of the International community will engineer ways to profit from the needs of countries subject to sanctions. Greed continues to be the Ace at the sanctions poker table. How do you prevent country A from purchasing additional amounts of sanctioned items and distributing to country B. How do you prevent country A bordering country B from using Air, Road, and Rail to deliver sanctioned items?

For sanctions to be an effective deterrent rogue countries must demonstrate more than a thumb your nose reaction. If sanctions worked, Iran would be echoing more of a lamentation than we have seen to date. If sanctions fail to bring about the desired outcome, the International community should decide quickly what further action is required, otherwise time will have been lost, and rogue countries will be better prepared to retaliate or negotiate. Course a country, as Libya does not have the basis to retaliate or negotiate. Any attempt to resolve the Libya debacle with the participation of Gaddafi or his sons will be the equivalent of using a kitchen sponge to mop a bathroom flood.

Making sanctions work is a challenge but at some point, the International community must decide if the action is working. If the principals are not forthcoming, talking, or changing undesirable behavior then the sanctions are not working. At that point, a quick decision should be made as to the next course of action. If escalation is required, NATO should be called on to carry out the next best course of action on behalf of its members. It is not prudent for any individual country to be engaged in several wars at the same time. There is danger in any Army or Military force spread too thin. Such a condition is not productive and can be destructive. However, if sanctions are to be an effective response short of war, then vigilant monitoring including all transportation routes is required, as well as swift action if said sanctions do not produce the desired expectations.