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As I hear criticism pour across the airwaves of President Barack Obama`s foreign policy and the recent buzz over his photo-op with the Latin American Dictator Hugo Chavez, I would remind my friends on the Republican side of the aisle that we need to allow room for the President to develop his foreign policy before we jump on the critic`s bandwagon.

While the debate rages over whether or not the president will be weak on terrorism, I would remind my fellow Americans that President Obama has already ordered airstrikes, resulting in the death of suspected terrorists, the leveling of their homes and the death of any relatives that may have been inside. His handling of the situation with regard to Somali Piracy was equally impressive. I did not vote for him, I voted for George Bush twice, McCain-Palin in 2008  and make no apologies for either decision. I do, however, also recognize that the Presidency of the United States and the position of our Commander-in-Chief requires of the American people the patience to see how this president does before we become his critics on the world stage.

My primary concern, as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continues to throw barbs at our ally Israel, remaining steadfast in his hatred of the Jews and calling for the destruction of the Israeli State, is who is aiding and abetting the enemy.

Iran has declared itself an enemy of the United States. Syria has echoed Iran in its hatred of Western culture, Israel and of the freedom and liberty we aspouse.

As in World War Two, we continue to have American corporations who do business with nations who openly support terrorism. The Iranian President, who was boycotted this week by a major walk-out of  U.N. diplomats, continues to attack Israel with his rhetoric. The Arab and Persian cultures have somehow failed to recognize that the United States remains steadfast in our commitment to support and defend our ally of Israel. We failed to answer the calls to thwart the Holocaust in the 1930`s and the genocide that resulted is a dark stain on our history and the history of the world. Stained with the blood of millions upon millions of innocents.

American corporations like Polaroid, Goodyear, General Electric, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, just to name a few, continue to do business with Iran and Syria. Some of the corporations, in some kind of rationale, channels their products through third party states, somehow making them less guilty of aiding and abetting the Iranian and Syrian regimes.

While our policy with China is no better, Iran and Syria have openly called for the destruction and eradication of Israel off the face of the earth. They have boasted of sponsoring terrorism against the United States and somehow doing business with them continues. It`s all about profits. Principles and people are lost in the abyss of a world economy where we wipe our hands of guilt and look the other way.

As the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to attack the United States in its policies and  with its rhetoric of hate, let us ask ourselves what would happen if we took our Coke and our Pepsi. If we stopped doing business with countries that sponsor terrorism and call for the destruction of Israel, what would happen?

First, companies would show that they can have an impact on international policy and strike a victory for human rights. The Iranian people would be up in arms over the loss of their goods and services and might just choose to throw-out Ahmadinejad and replace him with a moderate.

The shareholders of these companies have the power to call for action, but then again it would require a sacrifice of profits for the benefit of the larger principle of protecting people.

So, as the Enemy and Corporate America continue to do business, and as Iran and Syria continue to attack the very existence of the State of Israel, let us know full well that they are all laughing all the way to the bank.

This week is Holocaust Memorial Week. What we should reflect upon is how to prevent another stain on our history such as the one we have now by ignoring the plight of the Jews in 1930`s Germany. We should reflect our conscience and look at the warning signs of the policies and rhetoric of tyrants like Ahmadinejad and the government of Syria and know full well that we either deal with them directly and firmly, or we become passive and afraid of rocking the boat.

Some things are worth dying for. And if some things are worth dying for than some things are worth sacrificing profits for principle.

Whatever the case, the United States of America must remain steadfast in our commitment to stand with Israel, show the Arab and Persian world that our policy in this regard is unwavering and that threats and rhetoric of hate and violence will not sway us.

Israel knows how to fight a war on terror. They have done it throughout their history and especially since their founding as a nation following World War II. They have said `NEVER AGAIN`...and the United States must echo that as American Foreign Policy.

Let us give this President a chance to lead on the global stage. Let us put partisan politics aside long enough to put the integrity and the unity of the American people first when it comes to the national security of our country and her allies.

Let us take this week to remember what happens when we ignore the clear and present dangers of evil and live to tell about it. An entire generation has had to explain why we allowed Nazi Germany the room for such evil. Let our generation be looked upon by future generations as one that chose to act before the evil triumphed. A wise man once said: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".

-WILL GRIFFITH
www.griffithcorp.com



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Will Griffith
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

The government could take action to forbid business interaction with these nations. That would be an affront to free capitalism, but it might be the best way to handle the crisis. The way I see it, the alternative is either more failure, as in continuing useless discussion, and "UN sanctions" (I haven`t seen UN sanctions make a single nation change its evil ways). Or we could start another war and fight a campaign on three different fronts. The US doesn`t lose wars - we just pull out of them early when they`re unpopular. If we invade Iran too, we just might change that. Not that Iran has a military worth worrying about, or anything. No, I think winning the conflict by taking our Coca Cola and going home is probably the best and most creative idea for foreign affairs ever. These countries have a love/hate relationship, and they often take the love for granted. We should retract all of our McDonalds, Coca Colas, and the like. They`ll love us soon enough. There`s a reason American culture is so dominant. It`s because it`s good. They`ll miss it if we take it back. It`s almost a sure win.

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Making limitless possibilities much more limited.

If Iran continues its defiance and its foreign policy does not change regarding Israel; and if their nuclear proliferation and Uranium enrichment program continues...there is going to be more for Iran to worry about than their Coke and Pepsi. There is a very secular trend among Iranians.

They consume the very fruits of Western culture and the government allows it.  I do not, however, believe the government should have to tell corporate America to end trade with these countries for a time. The companies should set a policy of principles into play.  Let`s face the fact...profits, not people are priority one. And `American` business no longer reflects American interests because of a global economy that has devoured sovereignty where ever it has encountered it.

Will Griffith
www.griffithcorp.com





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Will Griffith
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS TRIBUNAL

I`ve been pondering this topic because it reflects the same basic concept I`m seeing everywhere in society. It`s the central issue of the polarization that`s split this country and much of the world right down the middle.

The word I`m thinking is "vector." It`s the best starting point, I think.

A vector essentially means a line of some sort, with segments. A "variable quantity that can be resolved into components." A vector implies a direction.

When we talk about a "course," as in "the course the administration is taking," we`re using a metaphor. An actual course would include a navigational heading, compass points, arcs and degrees. But all of us understand that the metaphorical course is a direction.

To that end, this course is more like a vector. Each step along the way builds a vector that begins to shape a direction. The movement both of a vector and a course is toward a goal. If the goal is in physical space, then we have a course.

An intent---a goal in terms of a social system or a particular status---isn`t located in space. It`s a concept. A vector fits better in that we have this conceptual goal and a set of variables (steps) to reach that situation.

You can look at the train leaving Stamford on Track 5, and the train leaving New York City on Track 5, both heading toward each other. Basic logic tells you that unless one or the other train is diverted, they`ll crash.

Likewise, you can look at two boats moving toward a common destination. Based on their vectors, you can predict that unless something changes, they`ll crash.

Ancient hunters used to spread out around a portion of a herd of animals. They would scream and holler, banging and setting fires to frighten the herd, moving it in a direction. Along the vector of that direction, they would have bushes, stockades, other hunters and so forth.

As the frightened herd panicked and ran, encountering various obstacles, their direction was gradually forced into a very specific direction. They were "vectored" (using the verb) toward a box canyon. A closed canyon with no way out.

When the herd entered the opening of the canyon, there came a point when their final destination became a 100% probability---an inevitability. Some of the herd might possibly escape by accident or luck. Most of the herd would be slaughtered.

Understanding vectors and the incremental steps making up those pathways takes time, thought, and a bit of skill and talent. In fact, "process philosophy" is related to the concept of vectors. But to anyone who does have some understanding of vectors, we can look at the pathway our politicians are building for America.

We don`t need to wait and see all that much anymore. The probability of arriving at certain intersections with reality is so high as to be nearly inevitable.

We don`t need to wait 10 feet away from the cliff ledge to prove that most lemmings will continue their swarming run off the edge. Nor do we need to wait for two ships to be within 10 feet of each other to know they`ll crash.

Similarly, we don`t need to watch the inevitable conclusions of today`s political actions to know that they`re vectored right off a metaphorical cliff. The specific, tiny little details (segments) don`t matter anymore. Only very large changes in very large segments will change the outcome.