It's Time to Decouple U.S. Supply Chains from Dictatorships

Vladimir Putin is returning the world to a paradigm of "might makes right." China may take note as it eyes its democratic neighbor Taiwan. And the war in Ukraine has shown just how tangled our international supply chains are. As we have seen, diplomatic efforts are all the more difficult when we have to rely on our enemies for our most crucial needs. While it may be Russian oil today, it may well be Chinese manufactured goods tomorrow. If America and the West really want to stand against dictatorships, then remaining reliant on the fruits of their labor is untenable.

To fuel our domestic economic recovery and maintain a strong hand internationally, it's time to strategically decouple ourselves from the supply chains that snake through totalitarian regimes across the globe—starting with energy and manufacturing.

Sanctions against Russia have so far included blocking seven Russian banks from the SWIFT network, freezing the assets of individuals close to Putin and blocking airspace and flights over Russia. Even Switzerland—famed for its secretive banking system—has stepped up its game and sanctioned the accounts of Russian oligarchs.

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