This essay examines whether tougher economic measures against the Nigerian junta would be politically effective. Is the oil weapon the most powerful tool available, short of military intervention, for restoring basic human rights and Nigerian democracy, or are more effective and humane alternatives available?
“The Sanctions Era: An Alternative to Military Intervention” by David Cortright and George A. Lopez in The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, vol. 19, no. 2 (Summer/Fall 1995).
As the challenge of preventing military conflict has become increasingly complex in the post-cold war era, economic sanctions are being applied with growing frequency. Sanctions are also being used to enforce international law, to deter aggression and terrorism, to defend democracy and human rights, and to prevent nuclear proliferation.
