On April 29, the US House of Representatives passed a newly minted H.R. 1644: Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act. Despite of its title, the Bill targets Russia, China, Iran and Syria by a slew of measures that normally would be implemented only in a time of war.
At the look of it, the US Congress members claim to enforce the control over implementation of the UN Security Council resolution that limits the trade of the DPRK with other countries, and bans the supply of weapons, aircraft, missiles, nuclear and other technologies. However, the document also provides the “legal basis” for US military control over Russian ports in the Far East and in Syria, and also over the Iranian and Chinese ports.
What the Russian politicians and observers found the most amazing was the fact that the UN Security Council has never requested the US to provide control over implementation of its resolution on the DPRK.
As it is being presented, the H.R. 1466 Bill is an affront not only to common sense, but also to the fundamental norms of international law. For starters, if it becomes a law the Bill will allow the US military to inspect, search and seize any vessel or aircraft suspected in violation of the anti North Korea sanctions per their own discretion. It also gives the US military the authority to inspect the sea ports in Russia, Syria, Iran and China, implying that resisting will result in much broader sanctions against these four countries.
The US Congress has jumped the shark. If America thinks that its navy will stay afloat while willy nilly harassing Russian and Chinese civilian and military sea traffic, then it is terminally deluded.
