The [[SWIFT]] network is a [[Brussels]]-based global clearing office for communications between 12,000 [[bank]]s worldwide in which they advise one another about incoming transfers.{{fact}} It is an essential building block in international trade, and was abused by the United States, who pressured the independent managers of SWIFT to conform to [[economic sanctions]] imposed on certain countries not abiding by the so-called "[[rules based order]]" dictated by the [[U.S. State Department]] from [[Washington, D.C.]].{{fact}} The "rules based order", also known as the [[Liberal world order]], by-passes the historically recognized framework of the [[United Nations]] under [[international law]] as having sole authority to impose [[multilateral]] economic sanctions.{{fact}} | The [[SWIFT]] network is a [[Brussels]]-based global clearing office for communications between 12,000 [[bank]]s worldwide in which they advise one another about incoming transfers.{{fact}} It is an essential building block in international trade, and was abused by the United States, who pressured the independent managers of SWIFT to conform to [[economic sanctions]] imposed on certain countries not abiding by the so-called "[[rules based order]]" dictated by the [[U.S. State Department]] from [[Washington, D.C.]].{{fact}} The "rules based order", also known as the [[Liberal world order]], by-passes the historically recognized framework of the [[United Nations]] under [[international law]] as having sole authority to impose [[multilateral]] economic sanctions.{{fact}} |