IMHO sanctions are never better than anything and are unfair by definition. You can compare them to antibiotic - destroying both good ones and bad ones.

Majority of people do not want any sanctions, no matter what side they are on. It's the government and politicians that want it, not the people.

> IMHO sanctions are never better than anything and are unfair by definition. You can compare them to antibiotic - destroying both good ones and bad ones.

But antibiotics are better than most other options. That's why we use them.

> Majority of people do not want any sanctions, no matter what side they are on. It's the government and politicians that want it, not the people.

The people do not want war. Sanctions are a way of bringing pressure without threats of violence.

People are free to do with their own bodies whatever they think is best. But in Crimea people are being punished because Obama or some other idiot thinks it's good to do so. I don't think it's fair that a group of corrupted politicians get to decide the fate of a nation literally on the other side of the planet.

Also preventing someone from accessing a public information or from doing business is already a form of violence :( I wouldn't call it a form of 'pressure'.

> I don't think it's fair that a group of corrupted politicians get to decide the fate of a nation literally on the other side of the planet.

I'd suggest you direct that towards Russia then. You can't have it both ways. You can't vote to join Russia, and then complain that you can't use your US services. As common as it may be to think here, the internet and internet services are products. America doesn't ever have to let you use its products. The idea that you are now entitled to them because you've ever had them is a fallacy, and your anger is misplaced because of it.

I personally watch http://liveuamap.com/ every day. I think it's scary that a person could be trapped in their home by an invader. But it's Russia doing that, not America.

> preventing someone from accessing a public information or from doing business is already a form of violence :(

I don't think many people would agree with that statement.

In the abstract, the argument that sanctions are unproductive can be persuasive. But, in the real world, sanctions are only part of a toolkit of economic tools for punishing nations that act aggressively. You may think it is unfair that the US-led West gets to decide when such tools are used. I'm sure there are travesties and injustices. But, in this particular case, sanctions against Crimea and against Russia in general are an alternative to a large war in Europe.

Why not just instead forbid Russian politicians and their families to access Europe? Now that would be a real pressure, don't you think?

Instead, completely innocent people on Crimea are banned from doing any business with Europe. I don't think Russian politicians care - they live from taxes!