In this case, they tried to weaponize the law against an enemy and it didn’t work.

Let’s see what they do next. Do they drop it? Does he suddenly fall down some stairs or shoot himself in the back of the head three times? Basically, are they wannabe fascists or the real thing?

The trouble with appeasement is that you’re eventually pushed to the point where you won’t cave anymore. You say no. And they punish you for it.

And now, all that appeasement has meant nothing. You sold your soul, you didn’t fight back, you did damage to yourself or your reputation or your customers or whatever. But you’re right where you would have been if you didn’t appease at all.

You have an enemy. If you didn’t, they wouldn’t be making you do terrible things. Do you want to tell them no to their face now? Or after they’ve recruited you into their scheme for years?

It’s sunk cost fallacy as international strategy and it’s terrible.