homeland security forum responses(215)

What specific legal action and against who, has the U.S. government undertaken resulting from, or linked to, this EO?

President George W Bush signed the Executive Order 13382 on June 25, 2005 and its purpose was to add to the already previous Executive Orders signed in the 1990’s by then President Clinton. President Bush like President Clinton recognized the threat of proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction posed to the United States and the international world. The EO 13382 allowed the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to implement three distinct sanctions programs designed to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). (OFAC, 2012) The main priority of EO 13382 is for OFAC to block the property of persons engaged in proliferation activities and their support networks. This was originally put into effect and applied against eight organizations in North Korea, Iran, and Syria. (OFAC, 2012)

This Executive order was created to block or freeze the assets of persons or corporations that are actively involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. For instance countries like North Korea, Iran and Syria were seen as countries trying to gain some sort of an active WMD program. Iran and North Korea longed stated they wished to have an active nuclear program. Under this EO OFAC designated certain people or companies that were actively involved in gaining WMDs. The thought process used is by freezing or blocking the assets of these people it would aid in the counter proliferation of the materials that can create WMDs. On top of the financial sanctions the EO presents it also stops US entities from carrying out transactions with anyone or any institution that is being blocked. At the time the order was issued in 2005, the Treasury Department immediately placed financial restrictions against eight organizations in Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Washington currently maintains sanctions under Executive Order 13382 against 114 individuals and organizations, including engineering firms, defense industries, banks, and trading companies. Nearly all of these entities are located in or controlled by firms based in China, Iran, North Korea, and Syria or are nationals of those countries. (Crail, 2008)

Executive Order 13382, (2012), Blocking Property of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and Their Supporters; the Weapons of Mass Destruction Trade Control Regulations and the Highly Enriched Uranium Agreement Assets Control Regulations.

Crail, P. (2008), U.S. Wields Financial Sanctions Against Iran. Arms Control today. Retrieved from https://www.armscontrol.org/print/3422