TBF sanctions have worked really well against Cuba, Venezuela, DPRK just to name a few. Smaller and isolated economies which have not fully industrialized can artificially be set back decades via sanctions, and while those nations still exist, we can’t pretend it hasn’t been an immense struggle for them which is almost entirely due to the sanctions. The US thought their war strategies against the Taliban and ISIS would work against Russia and they thought their economic attacks would work the same - not realizing in both instances that Russia isn’t a literal or figurative island with a fragile economy.

Doubt it, they are likely trying to win favor with China after sending more boots to Ukraine which I imagine Xi gave Macron an earful about. France is always happy to say something that “goes against the grain” but then still fall in line when the rubber meets the road.

For a brief second I thought this meant Columbia University and was quite surprised

Whatever it is, we know Juan Guaidó will stop it dead in its tracks.