In this episode, we tear away the euphemisms and expose a grim reality: sanctions kill.
Drawing on a 2025 study from The Lancet Global Health, we show how economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and other powers are responsible for up to 777,000 deaths each year, with children and the elderly most at risk.
We trace the history of sanctions from the League of Nations to Iraq, Venezuela, Iran, and beyond. We compare sanctions to siege warfare—and ask why a practice this deadly continues to be framed as humane diplomacy.
We also confront the legal and moral implications: Could sanctions qualify as crimes against humanity? And if so, why is the international community silent?
This episode is not about hypotheticals. It’s about the numbers, the law, and the lives.
I only ever talk about history on this podcast but I also have another life, yes, that of aspirant fantasy author and if that's your thing you can get a copy of my debut novel The Blood of Tharta, right here:
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