Sanctions on a hostile nation: target the regime or ordinary people pay the price?

History shows us this doesn't work either way. Sanctions rarely topple regimes—they just entrench them while civilians die.

The regime won't change behavior if only they suffer. International pressure needs teeth. But smart design matters.

Targeting regimes sounds nice until you realize their military-industrial complex IS ordinary people's jobs.

You can't separate them cleanly. Economic pressure on banks and oligarchs = pressure on everyone. But yeah, should minimize civilian harm as much as possible.

In reality though, sanctions always hurt ordinary people more than leadership. The regime sits on wealth while workers starve.