FOR THE DEFENSE OF MOSSAD:
AN INDICTMENT AGAINST HAMAS
By W. Edward Griffith

*Republished with permission from ArtChix Magazine

As the world seems to be mourning the murder of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, I must ask myself why the media, (who, by the way, conspiracy theorists are always alleging is controlled by Jewish elitists), has been targeted as the “bad guy” in this case.

First of all, while it is not the policy of the United States Government to endorse or condone political assassinations, the United States has two former presidents, William Jefferson Clinton and George W. Bush that put a price on the head of Osama bin Laden BEFORE and after the 911 attacks on the World Trade Centers. So why is the media treating Mahmoud al-Mabhouh as some kind of Palestinian martyr rather than the terrorist commander he was?

Whether or not the Mossad was or was not involved in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh is not the real question here. The real question is whether or not Mahmoud al-Mabhouh represented an organization that is a threat to Israeli National Security, as well as to the National Security of the United States.

So let’s take a look at Hamas, the organization lead (until his death) by Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.




What is Hamas?

Hamas is the largest and most influential Palestinian militant movement. In January 2006, the group won the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) general legislative elections, defeating Fatah, the party of the PA’s president, Mahmoud Abbas, and setting the stage for a power struggle. Since attaining power, Hamas has continued its refusal to recognize the state of Israel, leading to crippling economic sanctions. Historically, Hamas has sponsored an extensive social service network. The group has also operated a terrorist wing, carrying out suicide bombings and attacks using mortars and short-range rockets. Hamas has launched attacks both in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and inside the pre-1967 boundaries of Israel. In Arabic, the word “hamas” means zeal. But it’s also an Arabic acronym for “Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya,” or Islamic Resistance Movement.


What are Hamas’s origins?

Hamas grew out of the Muslim Brotherhood, a religious and political organization founded in Egypt with branches throughout the Arab world. Beginning in the late 1960s, Hamas’s founder and spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, preached and did charitable work in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, both of which were occupied by Israel following the 1967 Six-Day War. In 1973, Yassin established al-Mujamma’ al-Islami (the Islamic Center) to coordinate the Muslim Brotherhood’s political activities in Gaza. Yassin founded Hamas as the Muslim Brotherhood’s local political arm in December 1987, following the eruption of the first intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli control of the West Bank and Gaza. Hamas published its official charter in 1988, moving decidedly away from the Muslim Brotherhood’s ethos of nonviolence.

The first Hamas suicide bombing took place in April 1993. Five months later, Yasir Arafat, then the leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and Yitzhak Rabin, then-prime minister of Israel, sealed the Oslo accords—an Israeli-Palestinian peace pact that eventually unraveled. Rabin was assassinated by an Israeli right-wing fanatic in November 1995. Arafat died in November 2004.



Who are Hamas’s leaders?

Since its victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative elections, Hamas has failed to unify around a coherent program, exacerbating tensions within the Palestinian Authority. Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister and senior Hamas figure in Gaza, has appeared at odds with Khaled Meshal, Hamas’s overall leader who lives in Syrian exile. A Backgrounder profiles these and other Hamas leaders.


Where does Hamas operate?

Crisis Guide: The Israeli-PalestinianHistorically, Hamas has operated as an opposition group in Gaza, the West Bank, and inside Israel. Most of the population of Gaza and the West Bank is officially ruled by the Palestinian Authority government, so Hamas’ new role as the legislature’s controlling party has forced the group to reconsider the function and scope of its operations. For instance, since taking power in 2006, Hamas leaders have embarked on several diplomatic visits throughout the region. Early on, some observers hoped that political legitimacy—and the accountability that comes with it—could wean Hamas away from violence. But to date, the group has refused to eschew violence and remains adamant about reversing the decision by its rival faction, the more secular Fatah movement, to recognize Israel’s right to exist. In the summer of 2007, Hamas tensions with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a Fatah man, came to a head and Hamas routed Fatah supporters, killing many and sending others fleeing to the West Bank. The result was a de facto geographic division of Palestinian-held territory, with Hamas holding sway in Gaza and Fatah maintaining the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority government in the West Bank town of Ramallah. Egyptian efforts to reconcile the two factions have come to nothing.

Since coming to power in Gaza, rockets fired from the Hamas enclave have consistently landed on Israeli cities near the border, sometimes producing casualties. Israel consistently alleged that Iranian and other weapons were being smuggled into Gaza through a series of tunnels, and with Egypt maintained tight control on the enclaves borders. International aid agencies say this led to severe shortages. A six-month ceasefire calmed things somewhat in 2008, but toward the end of the year, Hamas called off the truce and resumed firing rockets into Israel. The response was an air assault in late December and, in the first week of 2009, a full blown Israeli invasion of the territory.


In what does Hamas believe and what are its goals?

Hamas combines Palestinian nationalism with Islamic fundamentalism. Its founding charter commits the group to the destruction of Israel, the replacement of the PA with an Islamist state on the West Bank and Gaza, and to raising “the banner of Allah over every inch of Palestine.” Its leaders have called suicide attacks the “F-16” of the Palestinian people. In July 2009, Khaled Meshaal said Hamas was willing to cooperate with the United States (WSJ) on promoting a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Hamas, he said, would accept a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders provided Palestinian refugees be allowed to return to Israel and East Jerusalem be recognized as the Palestinian capital. The proposal fell short of recognizing the state of Israel, a necessary step for Hamas to be included in peace talks.


Is Hamas only a terrorist group?

No. In addition to its military wing, the so-called Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigade, Hamas devotes much of its estimated $70-million annual budget to an extensive social services network. Indeed, the extensive social and political work done by Hamas - and its reputation among Palestinians as averse to corruption - partly explain its defeat of the Fatah old guard in the 2006 legislative vote. Hamas funds schools, orphanages, mosques, healthcare clinics, soup kitchens, and sports leagues. “Approximately 90 percent of its work is in social, welfare, cultural, and educational activities,” writes the Israeli scholar Reuven Paz. The Palestinian Authority often fails to provide such services, and Hamas’s efforts in this area—as well as a reputation for honesty, in contrast to the many Fatah officials accused of corruption—help to explain the broad popularity it summoned to defeat Fatah in the PA’s recent elections.



How big is Hamas?

Hamas’s military wing is believed to have more than one thousand active members and thousands of supporters and sympathizers. On March 22, 2004, more than two hundred thousand Palestinians are estimated to have marched in Yassin’s funeral. On April 18, 2004, a similar number publicly mourned the death of Rantisi.


Where does Hamas’s money come from?

Since its electoral victory to lead the PA, Hamas has had public funds at its disposal, though it does not have access to the foreign-aid dollars traditionally provided by the United States and European Union to the PA. Historically, much of Hamas’s funding came from Palestinian expatriates and private donors in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Persian Gulf states. Iran also provides significant support, which some diplomats say could amount to $20 million to $30 million per year. In addition, some Muslim charities in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe funnel money into Hamas-backed social service groups. In December 2001, the Bush administration seized the assets of the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Muslim charity in the United States, on suspicions it was funding Hamas.


What attacks is Hamas responsible for?

Hamas is believed to have killed more than five hundred people in more than 350 separate terrorist attacks since 1993. Not all Hamas’s attacks have been carried out by suicide bombers. The group has also accepted responsibility for assaults using mortars, short-range rockets, and small arms fire. In 1996, Hamas bombings played an important role in undermining the election hopes of Labor Party leader Shimon Peres, who represented the succession to assassinated Oslo Accords signatory, Yitzhak Rabin. (Likud’s Benjamin Netanyahu, who ran against the accords, won instead). Between 2001 and 2003, in particular, Hamas and its comrades of Palestinian Islamic Jihad carried out dozens of such attacks, ultimately leading Israel to begin construction of a barrier between itself and Palestinian regions.


How does Hamas recruit and train suicide bombers?

The organization generally targets deeply religious young men—although some bombers have been older. The recruits do not fit the usual psychological profile of suicidal people, who are often desperate or clinically depressed. Hamas bombers often hold paying jobs, even in poverty-stricken Gaza. What they have in common, studies say, is an intense hatred of Israel. After a bombing, Hamas gives the family of the suicide bomber between three thousand dollars and five thousand dollars and assures them their son died a martyr in holy jihad.

The recruits undergo intense religious indoctrination, attend lectures, and undertake long fasts. The week before the bombing, the volunteers are watched closely by two Hamas activists for any signs of wavering, according to Nasra Hassan, writing in the New Yorker. Shortly before the “sacred explosion,” as Hamas calls it, the bomber records a video testament. To draw inspiration, he repeatedly watches his video and those made by his predecessors and then sets off for his would-be martyrdom after performing a ritual ablution and donning clean clothes. Hamas clerics assure the bombers their deaths will be painless and that dozens of virgins await them in paradise. The average bombing costs about $150.


Is Hamas popular among Palestinians?

According to Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki, in late 2006 Hamas still enjoyed public backing, though most Palestinians also wanted to see a negotiated settlement with Israel. According to Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, the U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Territories, brutal internal clashes in Gaza have caused Hamas to lose some goodwill among Palestinians. In fact, the group has a history of fluctuating approval: Following the collapse of the peace process in the late 1990s, Hamas’ popularity rose as Arafat’s fell. In the spring of 2002, during a period of intensified armed conflict between Israeli security forces and Hamas militants, polls showed that Arafat’s Fatah faction of the PLO and the Islamists each commanded support from roughly 30 percent of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza (the remaining Palestinians were either independent, undecided, or supported other factions). But trust in Hamas reportedly dropped in 2004. In a poll conducted by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC) after Arafat’s death, 18.6 percent of Palestinians named Hamas as the Palestinian faction they most trusted, down from 23 percent a year earlier. Hamas experienced a short-lived spike in popularity after the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005; after a rocket explosion at a Hamas rally September 23, 2005, killed fifteen people, Hamas blamed Israel and launched rocket attacks against it. Israel retaliated with punitive air strikes, which Palestinians blamed Hamas for provoking. The explosion was revealed to be an accident. In late 2008 and early 2009, during another violent flare up which resulted in Israeli land raids into the Gaza Strip, several news agencies reported that Hamas’ popularity had stayed constant or even increased. By the end of June, public support for Hamas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip fell again to 18.8 percent, according to recent JMCC polls.


Has Hamas always participated in the Palestinian electoral process?

No. Hamas boycotted the January 2005 PA presidential elections. But even prior to its 2006 victory in the PA’s legislative elections, the group had made strong showings in municipal elections, especially in Gaza. In December 2004 West Bank local elections, Fatah won 135 seats and Hamas won seventy-five. In Gaza, where Hamas is based, it won seventy-seven out of 118 seats in ten council elections held in January 2005. Hamas appeared to have lost its political momentum in a September 2005 round of local elections in the West Bank: Fatah, benefiting from the Israeli withdrawal, took 54 percent of the vote over Hamas’ 26 percent.


So there you have it. As the United States continues to fight a global war on terror, which Israel has been doing on a daily basis since their founding (and throughout their history), how can we mourn the death of a man who represented everything our nation and our ally of Israel have been fighting against? Have we forgotten the evils perpetrated by Hamas already? Do their political gestures and warm embraces from a former American president (Jimmy Carter) erase the memory of the terrorism perpetrated by Hamas? They continue their policy of terror. While Jimmy carter may be trying his best to look past the terrorism to the humanity of these people, I would suggest to the former President that his efforts are without hope. Any terrorist organization or those who belong to such an organization have forfeited their humanity.

We are a nation of laws. In some instances, as we have found in our own foreign policy, those laws do not apply to terrorists. As the Obama Administration has taken us backward by treating terrorism cases as law enforcement matters, rather than a war, and prosecuting that war under the rules of a new kind of warfare that the terrorists themselves defined on September 11, 2001, I must then stand in opposition to both the approach and the policy. I must also state quite clearly that the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was unfortunate for his family and his fellow terrorists, but nevertheless an event in a long string of events that Hamas put into play through their own deliberate and blatant acts of terror.

Violence will foster violence. This is certain. For generations to come, Israelis and Palestinians have a new reason to be at war. Young Palestinians will be taught that the Israeli’s killed their leader, without being taught why. It doesn’t matter whether or not Israel actually murdered Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, because Hamas will make it “a fact” among their own people.

For my part, I am only one American with one opinion. I believe that the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was done in an effort to combat terrorism and to send a clear message to terrorists. We will hunt you. We will find you and you will be brought to justice. That has been the policy of every president since Ronald Reagan. Whether or not this was justice will be debated around the world. According to the laws of Moses so etched upon the walls of Jewish faith, theology and politics, an eye for an eye is the best definition that can be given to describe this unfortunate event. How many Israeli’s have died at the blood-stained hands of Hamas? How many people around the world, from a variety of countries, have fallen victim to the terrorist ideology of these extremists? While that number can only be estimated, as in a previous paragraph, we can look to the organization’s own charter to see what their ultimate goals are regarding Israel:

Article 7 of the Hamas Covenant provides the following quotation, attributed to Mohammed: “The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him. Only the Gharkad tree, (evidently a certain kind of tree) would not do that because it is one of the trees of the Jews.”

There is no conclusive evidence that the Mossad is responsible for this assassination. Whether it is probable is up to conjecture. What I do know is that while I believe in the human dignity of every individual, and the protection of their fundamental human rights, I steadfastly believe that any individual who commits an act of terror forfeits his human rights and becomes something else entirely. Something evil. Something bestial. Something that must be put in check for the peace and dignity of society.

Tonight, Israel may not be safer or more secure with the death of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, but we remain with a fundamental question. Knowing what we know about Hamas, their leaders and their goals, wasn’t this justified homocide?

-By W. Edward Griffith, Director
Griffith Colson Intelligence Service

ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTOR:

W. Edward Griffith, known to his friends and associates as “Will”, is Director of Griffith Colson Intelligence Service. He is a member of the International Counter-Terrorism Officers Association, British Bodyguard Association, and the National Military Intelligence Association. He also held membership in the International Bar Association, where he was a member of the IBA War Crimes Committee from 2009-2010. Mr. Griffith also served as Chairman of The Griffith Corporation from 2007 to 2010, where he founded Griffith Corporation Security Service and the Homeland TV Network. He resides in Los Angeles with his family, where he raises two children with Alysyn.

AN EASTER MESSAGE FOR OUR NATION

As we approach this Easter holiday we do so with a nation in disarray. The political divisions, the social unrest, the frustrations among Americans due to the economic crisis of the country, all give us reason to pause and reflect.

On this Good Friday, we observe the crucifixion of our Lord. For many it is a distant and ancient event. However, the impact of this weekend for Christians is monumental. We recognize in our faith the hope of things that seem impossible. We observe the execution of Jesus with the subsequent faith in his resurrection and the light that faith has provided throughout the ages.

If there is any element we should take with us, long after the Easter holiday has passed, it is that Christianity represents a culture of life and hope. Islamic radicals celebrate their religious faith by embracing a culture of death and violence. There is a clear and very present difference between the two. And we are compelled to look closer and evaluate our purpose amid the chaos of our world.

The politics of religion often cloud the enormous miracle of faith. Believing in a God who has a purpose for all of us and knowing full well that through our faith mountains can be moved, the blind can see, the deaf can hear and nations can thrive and prosper, breathes life into our responsibilities and our opportunities to make things happen.

The disenchantment in our society over socio-political debates, corruption and war, all reinforce our firm belief that society, without faith, is an abyss without the hope of something better.

We spend so much time debating the politics of left and right, tearing apart those who disagree with us and somehow forgetting that politics is not intended to be the focus of our existence. People, rather than politics is what we should be focused on. Once you shed, political, religious and philosophical disagreements, you'll find that people are pretty much the same. Regardless of race, religion, politics or our stations in life, we all breathe the same air. We all walk the same earth. We are all capable of pain and disappointment. We all desire to love and be loved and we are a miracle of God's creation in that we can have enormous empathy and compassion for someone we have never met.

The realities of our age are grave. The dangers facing our national security and the terrorist threats from within and without our borders give us all cause for concern. The political conditions of the present, may well determine the kind of nation our children inherit when the final chapter of our time at the wheel of the ship of state is over.

While I believe that all government should remain secular and simply charged with representing and defending the Constitution of the United States, against ALL enemies foreign and domestic, I also believe what history has proven to be the case. The best form of government is one that is secular, while the population it represents is rooted in the core principles of faith, family and love of their country.

While Washington battles over economics and Wall Street remains a constant fixture on the evening news, let us take a breath and reflect. As Islamic fundamentalist extremists plot to commit acts of terror on our country and regimes threaten our national security, let us take a breath. Let us take a breath and soak in the meaning of this Easter. Let us inventory our faith, knowing full well that we, as Christians, have the opportunity to engage others and to bring to the forefront of all we do daily, a message of hope and life.

We enter this Easter holiday sensible that our own human frailty, our errors and mistakes in life, our short-comings and our sin and transgressions were the elements that made the miracle of this holiday what it is. God knew, full well, that it would require something greater to save us from ourselves. He knew that it would take the ultimate sacrifice to redeem humanity. The way we conduct our daily lives must always be better than we did it the day before. For some of us it is a long journey. For others it will take a lifetime of struggle until they breathe their final breath. But still we strive. We struggle to do better, be better and to bring light and hope and encouragement to those with which we come into contact.

I have never had a burning bush or a voice from heaven to communicate with God. I found God through people. Once we take a breath and open our eyes and liberate our souls from the daily struggles of life, God becomes real to us. The struggles are no less challenging, but they can be overcome with greater resolve and in a state of happiness.

As a nation, we too can take a breath and reaffirm our commitment to people, rather than politics. We can replace rhetoric with compassion, and complacency with action. We can do, as citizens, what we have for far too long expected government to do. We can make a difference once we search ourselves, determine our priorities and reach the conclusion that our faith can move mountains and help shape history. We must never forget our responsibility to represent our faith through compassion for those who disagree with us. We must stand by our principles and recognize that those who oppose us are just as committed to that which they believe.

Take the issues of our national landscape and shed the politics Look at how that issue impacts people. Do not allow the media pundits or the politicians to tell you on what side of an issue you belong, but rather look at the issue through the eyes of humanity. Once you do so, the way to resolve these issues becomes clearer and while government debates them on Capitol Hill and in The White House, WE THE PEOPLE CAN take action on our own, helping to resolve our national strife from our homes all the way to the halls of congress.

Take advantage of this Easter to renew your faith, search your soul and commit a random act of kindness that will leave the touch of your faith evident on the heart of another.

From OUR family to Your Own, Have A Very Happy Easter.


By W. Edward Griffith, Director
 Griffith Colson Intelligence Service

*First Published April 10, 2009

WE MUST MAINTAIN A PRO-ISRAEL FOREIGN POLICY

The Arab and Persian world doesn't seem to get it. The pro-Israel foreign policy of the United States must always be maintained to provide for the common defense of Israel and to maintain stability in the Middle east.

After the 1948 declaration of the State of Israel, our nation realized that to maintain the sovereign right of Israel to exist as a nation and to further create balance in a region dominated my Muslims who have declared their unwavering desire to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, the United States pledged to defend the Israeli nation at all costs.

The calls for a Palestinian state have further attempted to undermine the stability of Israel and the region at large. The Iranian President, who has clearly declared to the world that the holocaust never happened, has in the same breath called for yet another holocaust of Jews. His calls to blow Israel off the map have been echoed in the foreign policy of nations like Syria, who remain a sleeping threat to balance and security in the region.

While Israel is bombarded by threats from all sides, the Israelis know how to fight a war on terror. They have been doing it in a variety of ways throughout their history and, indeed, their counter-terrorism and intelligence techniques are among the best in the world. But to maintain the security and stability in a hotbed of terrorism and violence, the freedom and liberty of the Israeli people continues to be undermined by "foreign policy experts" in our own country, including the rhetoric of former president Jimmy Carter, who has called for dialogue and negotiation among the likes of Hezbollah and Hamas. Cuddling-up with terrorists neither makes these faction legitimate, nor does it reassure our Israeli partners that our commitment to maintaining our long-standing policy in the region remains unwavering.

The State of Israel must be guarded and protected at all costs. When Germany began rounding up the Jews of Europe in the 1930's, the United States policy was to ignore their pleas for help and not until our entry into World War II and the subsequent allied victory, did we lift a real finger to help prevent the slaughter and genocide of the Jewish people.

We see history repeating itself with the call to arms of the Iranian President to devour Israel. Those calls are heeded by Syria and the Islamic fundamentalist extremists in the region who have neither the capability nor the desire of living peacefully with Israel.

I urge the President of the United States, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama Administration to stand with Israel, denounce Iran, Syria and put the terrorist elements of the Middle east in check by repeating the foreign policy of our nation: "We will stand by Israel without fail. We will not negotiate with terrorists and WE WILL NOT take your threats against Israel lightly".

I stand in awe of the words of Secretary Clinton this week, as she seems at a loss with regard to handling Iran and the proliferation of their nuclear development program. She said she isn't really sure how the United states should approach the issue. We have indicated we will negotiate. And we have therefore weakened our foreign policy in the eyes of Iran.

There can be no negotiation with Iran on matters of Nuclear weapons. They either shut down their development of nuclear materials are we order swift, unapologetic military action in the form of air strikes on their facilities. We could call upon our allies in the region, Jordan and Israel, to join us in a collective policy of action and send a clear message to Iran and their President..."your threats will bring down the full weight of the United States military and our allies on your country."

This proposed action will no doubt be ignored by those at the helm of America's ship-of-state. But rest assured that if we do not stand up to the likes of Iran and let them know full-well that they will never have nuclear weapons capability while their policies toward the State of Israel remain, then the consequences of their actions will meet them face to face and the reality of our resolve will be clear.



-By W. Edward Griffith, Director
 Griffith Colson Intelligence Service

*Originally Published April 17, 2009

EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT WAR & PEACE
I LEARNED FROM OUR CHILDREN



By W. Edward Griffith, Director
Griffith Colson Intelligence Service

Alysyn and I are not immune to conflict. With two children and a disagreement from time to time, the art of resolution has become a fixture in our home. Alysyn and I take pride on being able to get on one another's last nerve and defusing the situation as rapidly as possible. Sometimes, one of us have to simply relinquish our ground in the interest of peace in our home. And, it is virtually painless.

This environment has not gone unnoticed. For all of the courses on Conflict Analysis and international diplomacy, I have found that the 'peacemakers' often complicate matters beyond any hope of actually resolving their conflicts. I have wondered, time and time again, how can so many brilliant minds have such difficulty in reaching agreements on the fundamentals of peaceful coexistence. Last week, I was amazed as I found the answer within the borders of our own family.

Our daughter Calista and

our son Noah were embroiled in a heated argument about something, the cause of which remains unclear to this day. They each had a different story and it had become apparent to Aly and me that one of the two was not telling the whole truth, leaving our policy of full disclosure on the ash-heap of family jurisprudence. Unable to resolve the issue for lack of knowing who was an d was not withholding the truth, Aly and I looked at each other and simply imposed a punishment in which both of our children would share the fate. We made very clear that until we reached the truth in the matter, the punishment would be shared by both. Now sister and brother (9 and 7) looked at each other. At that moment, the wheels in their precious little heads began to turn. How could they resolve the issue

save face and have the punishment overturned in the interest of peace?

As we took an afternoon family walk to the library, strolled together, as the kids walked ahead of us. They were in deep conversation with one another, with an even deeper resolve to find a solution to their problem and to put the whole thing behind them. Before we reached the library, our daughter looked up at Aly and I and said "I have an idea". She went on to explain that they may have misunderstood one another and that she didn't believe either of them were lying about the incident. She presented her case with fervor, energized at the apparent brilliance of her idea and said she could fix it...with the help of her brother.

As we entered the library, Calista proceeded to the children's section, drew-up a 'peace agreement', stated the rules and was able to get her brother to sign it. She then brought it to  Alysyn and I, presenting her case in an aisle of the library where we were searching for a movie for family night.

As we read the 'treaty' I was struck by the foundation of her draft and how she planned to maintain the instrument in the interest of ending the sibling rivalry. The word that set the foundation of her peace proposal was 'RESPECT'. It made an immediate and lasting impression on me. That was it. That was the element that could make or break any peace talks and any treaty. Nations can come together and talk the talk, but when it comes to walking the walk of their treaty they fall far short because a true, mutual respect has simply not entered into the dynamic of their desire for peace.

Impressed by the effort, we withdrew the punishment and, to date, they continue to rely on it for reference when a fight begins to brew. To Calista's credit, because she authored it, she is all that more intent on its successful execution.

Respect, ladies and gentlemen. It is that simple. It is the ingredient necessary to make a lasting and secure peace. Until respect is achieved, the rest are just words and rhetoric. It was a vital lesson for me and I cherish the experience. Because Aly and I are firm believers that all government, terrorism, and security begins in the home and then pours out into our local, state, federal and global governments, this lesson was even more vivid.

So, it can now be said, with truth as the core of the statement, that everything I know about war and peace I learned from our children.

*First published in the Peace & Collaborate Network, 2009


ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

W. Edward Griffith, known to his friends and associates as "Will", is Director of Griffith Colson Intelligence Service. He is a member of the International Counter-Terrorism Officers Association, British Bodyguard Association, and the National Military Intelligence Association. He also held membership in the International Bar Association, where he was a member of the IBA War Crimes Committee from 2009-2010. Mr. Griffith also served as Chairman of The Griffith Corporation from 2007 to 2010, where he founded Griffith Corporation Security Service and the Homeland TV Network. He resides in Los Angeles with his family, where he raises two children with Alysyn.

"Ignorance breeds hatred and conflict. if we are unwilling to understand that people are different, that they come from all walks of life and still, by God's grace, walk this planet, then we can not know better than God. If they are here they deserve dignity, respect and not the judgment of others who are as frail as they."

-Will Griffith

I can not change what has happened in my life, but I can apply the darkest periods of that life to understand and have empathy for the plight of others. People have looked beyond my human frailty and lifted me up to where I am today. I look at the world in a different way than if I had never fallen. I do not curse my experiences. I embrace them so I can embrace others.

~Will Griffith

I woke up this morning feeling a little sorry for myself, for purely personal reasons, as I sipped my coffee I thought about our children, our progress in business, good, supportive friends who embrace me daily. I snapped out of my melancholy just as quickly as I had entered it, realizing I have no right and no reason to be anything but happy and content.

-Will Griffith

Every time the American people find out one of our politicians have lied to us, those politicians should be required to put $1.00 in a national fund to go toward the national deficit. It won't take very long at all for this country to find itself debt free and back to economic recovery.

-Will Griffith

When we come to understand that the human individual is prone to slip and fall, make mistakes and bad judgments from time to time, whether they are in power or in servitude, then we can recognize our duty to lift them up, rather than knock them down, and in turn improve the human experience for all of us in the process.

 -Will Griffith

The true test of who we are is not where we come from or how low we've fallen. The true test of who we are is whether or not we've pulled ourselves up, where we're at now, where we want to go and how we treat others along the way.

-Will Griffith

"The war against terror is an ideological one where religious extremism replaces reason and the passion for peace. Apologizing for America, reaching out in the hope that extremism will shed its evil through our desire to get along, these simply will not work. Extremism on every level must be fought through our resolve to preserve liberty and to do so with the courage to know we're right."

-Will Griffith

THE SONG OF HOPE REQUIRES US TO SING IT

BY WILL GRIFFITH

As we look at the world around us with all of the polarization in our society and the divisions between the human family, we often feel bombarded and overwhelmed by the enormity of these challenges. White against black, Jew against Arab, straight against gay...ALL examples of divisions caused by differences. So how do we begin to repair the breach? How can we possibly have any hope of making our world a better place to live, to coexist and to raise our children?

IT SIMPLY BEGINS WITH US.

Our perceptions of the world and all of Her problems are often determined by the news and information we are given. We draw lines of prejudicial determination and end up choosing one side or the other. There are also those times when indifference is the choice, because we simply have not been affected by the topic personally.

The fact that our perceptions are influenced, rightly or wrongly, only shows that we have chosen to follow the lead of another in the process of our own thinking. When we stop thinking for ourselves we become pawns for a tiny handful of agenda-driven politicians and politically motivated entities who want to do our thinking for us. They thrive on the polarization and disunity. As long as they keep us fighting with each other, we have little time or energy to pay attention to their efforts.

If we look at the problems in the world and think to ourselves how impossible it seems for us to do anything to change it, we have looked at these challenges from only one perspective and from our own little corner of the world. The key to implementing change in the world is in finding our willingness and ability to step outside of our box and view the world from a different vantage point. When we hear stories of children being sold into slavery in a part of the world far from the reality of our own, the issue seems distant and disconnected from our existence. Certainly, we hear the stories and feel a sense of sadness, repulsion and even anger. And if we look just a little bit closer, we will feel the frustration of wishing we could change it and knowing full well that our ability to do so is limited by our own station and place in this world. So, we shake our heads, curse the evil and go about our business and the routine of our existence without having done anything to alter it.

When we look at the issue from another vantage point the possibilities to change the world become clear. We find that we are one more voice in an ocean of resistance to these evils plaguing the human condition. The symphony of change becomes louder, the music more defined and the song of hope resonates to the most remote parts of our planet. When we look at injustice from the vantage point of the oppressed, through the eyes of the child sold into slavery and sexual servitude and we, even for a moment, imagine our own children in such a hell, we begin to think. We begin to feel the anger and we muster the will to DO SOMETHING, SOMEHOW.

Stepping outside of our box in an effort to feel the pain of the oppressed and abused is the first step in caring. It is the path to finding ourselves and to realize that while we often believe that the world revolves around our own little place in it, we are just taking up space unless, at the very least, we care.

For the critic who points the finger and accuses the activist of "trying to save the world", that poor soul has yet to find his or her voice. We often care about an issue when we are PERSONALLY affected by it. For example, there was no oversight of Wall Street or Congress as the country became more embroiled in financial crisis. In the United States and around the world, people where complacent and happy with the way things were because they simply were not touched by it. Then, as the credit crisis bloomed into a full blown global recession and our pockets were tapped at the grocery stores and the gas pumps, we cared. By then we had no choice. And while it wasn't too late to express discontent and anger, we enabled the crisis to take root and to grow before we expressed our desire for change.

Human rights issues are of little difference. We tend to look the other way when confronted with injustice because it has not affected our own existence. As long as our own little corner of the world is untouched, we are given little reason to do anything. But when that injustice requires the action and contents of our pockets to pay for the action of another, whether sanctions or war, we tend to take notice.

Everything in our world is connected, one with the other. The separation of people by geographical, political or religious divides are still connected through the common thread of humankind. We all need air to breathe and water to drink. We all have the desire for love and peace and generations who rely upon us for their future. Oceans and flags can not separate us from one another on these topics. And the fact is we can only begin to repair the breach and change our world when we recognize that the world and those who inhabit it are different from ourselves and yet the same. We can only begin to change the human condition when we first change our own perceptions and choose another vantage point from which to view the world around us.

People suffer and while you will hear many who will say, "yes, it's sad but that's life. I'm looking out for myself", the animal instinct for survival trumps the very element that makes us human. Our ability for empathy, love and compassion is silenced by the fear of having to survive a brutal and selfish world. If we find ourselves thinking how unfair life is from our own corner of our own existence, imagine the child with matted hair and bruised and broken skin and bone. Imagine the little girl who will never grow up to have children of her own because her body has been ravaged by the slave trade. How unfair the world must seem to her.

Life isn't fair because injustice reigns. Life isn't fair because our sense of humanity and a respect for human life that doesn't reflect our own definition of it, absorbs the injustice like a sponge. It pits white against black, Arab against Jew, straight against gay and creates a domino affect of injustice that begins to overcome the good nature of humankind. The injustice grows and with it the complacency and belief that the world and Her problems are simply too large for us to do anything to change it.

But change it we must!

There can be no other alternative but to change it. Our time on this earth is short by any measure of the clock. If we have grown so accustomed to our lives and so sure of our place in this world that we believe we have no obligation or need to stand against injustice, then we have entered into a moral abyss in which the human spirit is lost and can only be resurrected once injustice touches us personally. We should never wait until then, for if we do we may find ourselves the only one left with no one to defend us.

To repair the breach and confront the injustice, we need to first care. Once we care and look upon our world with new eyes, from a new vantage point, we will then see the hope and promise of making our world and the future of our children a better place to live, to dream and to serve the human family.

THE WAR ON TERROR IS A CRUSADE
By Will Griffith

The mainstream media as a whole has done a grave disservice to our country and the future of our children. The politically correct rhetoric which prevents us from saying "Islamic terrorist" or "enemy combatant" is eroding the clear threats against our nation. We have taken the word "FREEDOM" off of the 911 memorial tower and changed it so our enemies are not offended. We have adopted complacency rather than courage, rhetoric rather than reason.

Former President George W. Bush called the War on Terror a crusade. He was attacked in the press and blasted by the media pundits to the left. But the War on Terror is a crusade for those of us who still teach our children about God and Country. It is a crusade for liberty, freedom and America's place in the world. It is a crusade for the sovereign blessings given to our country by Divine Will, and it is a crusade for the very survival and success of America.

Our children will look back upon our decisions and actions today and will render the final verdict of our efforts. Did we act in the tradition of our forefathers who challenged tyranny and enemy domination in the interests of a nation yet unborn? They risked everything for a future in which their investment was the very life they were given by God. They rejected complacency and mustered the courage to succeed.

Will our children and their children look back upon this era and salute our flag with pride in our crusade for the preservation of the United States and her principles. Or will they look back upon our efforts with a bowed head and tearful cheek and utter the words: "We had a great republic, if only they had kept it".

It is our responsibility to defend our nation against ALL ENEMIES, foreign and domestic. It is our responsibility to resist the ultra-liberal agenda and say "Enough is Enough".

When Ronald Reagan spoke at the Berlin Wall and said: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall", that wall came down and communism ended up on the ash-heap of history.

Today, we face a challenge in our own country. The threats of socialism in our government and the attempt to extinguish the sacred fire of American liberty is in full-swing. The enemies of America are within and without.

Let us be sensible of our responsibilities as Americans and resist the evils of tyranny, the Islamic push for global domination and continue in our resolve to defeat the enemies of our country when and where they are found.

Indeed, the War on Terror is a crusade and as President Bush said so clearly: "If you're not with us, you're against us".

May God have mercy on our complacency as a nation and may the patriots and voices of Freedom stand together in courage and resolve to TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!

" We need to roll up our sleeves and begin redefining citizenship. Politicians will not change the course of our country, but rather Citizenship In Action will be the energy behind the changes we seek. We all have something to do and together we will do it and do it well."
-Will Griffith

MEXICAN CARTEL CRISIS PRESENTS CHALLENGES FOR OUR COUNTRY


When I awoke this morning I poured a cup of coffee and received my morning security briefings. Report after report had to do with the Mexican Drug Cartels and the unrest at the U.S.-Mexican border.

My security advisor brought a report to my attention, entitled: CALIFORNIA UNDER SEIGE BY MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS. This caught my attention and I instructed our staff to network the information immediately. One part of that report was a video interview on FULL DISCLOSURE with former L.A. Sheriff SGT. Richard Valdemar. He discusses how these cartels have infiltrated businesses and government in Los Angeles and throughout California.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf17rOT_z8E

Another report presented detailed intelligence reports of the Mexican cartels relationship with Al Qaeda, which also posed another scenario. I Began to access the crisis at the border and its implications.

So how does this challenge the daily lives of entrepreneurs? The implications are massive.

This country has not had another attack on our soil since 911. The terrorists are patient and will wait as long as they must. If intelligence is correct and the Mexican drug cartels have partnered with Al Qaeda, then the situation at the border takes on a whole new face.

As we prepare to beef up border security, and as our Homeland Security Chief recognizes the immense threat the border poses, we can not lose sight of the fact that the cartel will use any means necessary to disable the Mexican government. The United States has pledged to do everything to keep the Mexican government stable. So how do the cartels keep us from doing so? Enter AL QAEDA and the drug gangs operated by the cartels in more than 230 cities in our country. We already know their tactics. Kidnapping, murder, intimidation and terror. As we move to secure the border and quiet the unrest, the cartels will mobilize their countless gang members to unleash acts of terror and violence in American cities. The Al Qaeda element only adds to the disaster. What better way for them to attempt to intimidate the American people and convince us not to partner with Mexico in this war. ACT WE MUST!

This unrest would open a door for the Islamic radical terrorists to unleash a reign of terror in addition to the terror unleashed by the Mexican drug lords.

This scenario and its implications are more than just a guess. One plus one equals two, no matter how positive a spin we put on it. And in this case, the numbers add up and the warning signs are present.

The results of such a crisis would devastate an already weakened U.S. economy. The threat to small businesses and start up ventures in California will be equally present. California, in particular, is vulnerable. Its geographical placement and its center of technological industry and entrepreneurs make it an easy target with the out-of-control gang violence gripping Los Angeles and other cities in the state.

I urge entrepreneurs, business owners and the American people as a whole to remain vigilant and to remain steadfast. The crisis at the border has only started, and it is up to us to determine how we will react in a crisis such as this.

We should never make the mistake of thinking that a distant border crisis will not alter our daily lives. It has happened before. If the enemies of free enterprise, liberty, justice and the rule of law can make the choice themselves, they will.

Our businesses, our families, our hopes and dreams for the future rest in our willingness to be prepared, to be vigilant and to defend our nation against any form of terror, foreign and domestic.

By Will Griffith, Chairman
THE GRIFFITH CORPORATION

" Take a moment today to enjoy the silent hush of peace, Think of friends, family, and the opportunity to enjoy a little happiness, tranquility and bask in the realization that we are alive, with another day to make it count for something good and positive for our lives. And say something nice. God knows there are enough people who will turn their day upside down with negativity. Don't be one of them. "

-Will Griffith

A MESSAGE ON PRESIDENTS DAY 2009
 BY WILL GRIFFITH

As we celebrate President's Day in recognition of presidents past and present, we do so amid challenging economic and political times.

On this day, it would do us good to recognize that for all of the challenges we face we do so as a nation of free people who have been there and have done that before.

As the mainstream media talks of recession and possible depression, we as entrepreneurs recognize that in an era of lost jobs and lost economic stability can come the birth of opportunity and dreams. Such times force people to adapt and become acquainted with their capabilities to be creative and industrial. It brings us out of the stagnation of routine and into the fresh and brisk air of vision and innovation. Tough times create tough people. Times such as these tests our metal and the potential of our creative makeup.

Ronald Reagan once said that 'everyone has a chance in life, but it will not come looking for him". How true this is, especially in times such as these.

While the media bombards us with news of how dark and dreary times are, let us light a torch of creativity and innovation. Let us take a personal inventory and decide what we're good at, what we are most happy doing...and then DO IT!

As Washington turns to spending as a band aid for what troubles our economy, let us heal our own economic wounds by taking control of our dreams, our creativity and therefore our lives.
On this President's Day, let us confront the challenges before us with a sense of optimism, creativity and the courage to venture forth and blaze a new path for our future. In an era of job loss, let us create our own. In an era of recession and a lack of leadership in Washington and Wall Street, let us recover on our own terms and through the realization of our respective visions.

Now, go out there and show Washington how it's done. Show them what leadership is  and the American dream  is all about.

" There is only a lack of leadership when there is a lack of men and women willing to fill the void. The fact is, our leadership is determined by our resolve to keep the debate alive, to find solutions and to choose those leaders who put public service ahead of political power. This is what makes America great."

 -Will Griffith

HE'S NOT MY PRESIDENT?

BY WILL GRIFFITH

We have heard it from celebrity and average American citizen alike, despite the occupant of the Oval Office and who he may be.

Whether it has been Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, George Walker Bush or Barack Obama, you can always find those voices who articulate their disagreement or disappointment of the leader of the free world with the line: "I didn't vote for him. He's NOT my president!"

In a discussion yesterday concerning the economic crisis of the country, I heard it again. "How do you think President Obama is handling the current economic crisis?" The response was swift, abrupt and non-negotiable: "I don't know", came the reply, "I didn't vote for him. He's NOT my president".

The fact is, while the guy we supported in the campaign may not be in office, OUR president is.

Despite being elected twice, you could hardly find someone on the street who would admit they had voted for George Bush. As President Bush's poll numbers and popularity ratings slid, so too did the backbone of the backbenchers who had supported him. Even a Republican Congress distanced themselves when the heat became too much. And still, George Bush stayed the course. When the issue of the economy or the war became the topic of conversation, you would hear the line again and again: "I didn't vote for him. He's NOT my president". Hollywood, where artists and actors, producers and directors have (under Bush) become suddenly politically astute, said it over and over..."He's NOT my president". Some of the Hollywood elite even promised in 2004 that if Bush was reelected, they would leave the country. (I am still waiting for the exodus)

Barack Obama, despite his popularity on the campaign trail is not immune to this line. I have heard it from black and white, Democrat and Republican alike.

Reality check!

While you may not have voted for Barack Obama, and while he may not be your choice for the presidency, HE IS  the 44th President of the United States. The institution of the presidency is more important than the personality that occupies it. Our electoral process and our institutions of government represent ALL of the people. As we know throughout our history, there have always been the disenfranchised and those whose special interests were not entertained. However, if you approach our governmental institutions with the belief that less government means more power to WE THE PEOPLE, then we recognize what  the responsibilities of government are and are not.

We have the duty of citizenship to support our president when he is right and to call him on the carpet when he's wrong. Much of our diagreement will be found in OUR perceptions of how things should be done, if you happen to be one of those Americans who are fortunate enough to know what they believe or actually have a formed opinion. When it comes to placing the interests of the country above self-interests, it becomes clear that for the benefit of the United States, our support of our President is essential. This does not mean we have to agree with every decision. We can even oppose the President when we think he's wrong. But to say "I didn't vote for him. He's NOT my president", does a disservice to both the country and to our own citizenship.

The line, as innocent as it may be, only fuels disunity and discontent. We can not expect our congressional representatives to work in a bi-partisan way with The White House and then turn around and suggest "He's not my president".

Barack Obama IS the President of the United States. His election has inspired and motivated countless young Americans across the country. While I will continue to disagree with the President on his economic policies, and I will be following his handling of National Security issues closely, I will also proudly admit to anyone, anywhere: "No, I did not vote for Barack Obama. But he IS my president".

I voted for George W. Bush. Twice. He too was my president. Every Chief Executive since George Washington represented and represents still, an institution and an opportunity to make America better. The Presidency is a symbol of American acheivement and the center of where history can be written with the great potential of our time.

We have had presidents who could not put a coherent sentence together and who governed with the help of their liquor cabinet. We have had presidents who have emerged from the backwoods and those who sprouted from Ivy League stock. Our nation has elected men who have committed adultery and others who had their human frailty on display for the entire nation and the world to witness.

And still, they have all served our nation as the President of the United States. I claim them each, with all of their flaws and greatness, as my presidents.

When 2012 rolls around and the time for Barack Obama to seek reelection arrives, I will judge his first term in an objective and critical manner. I will put the loyalty of my station as American citizen ahead of my political affiliation and I will choose the candidate who has done or will do the best job for the country. If my party does not step up to the plate with a candidate who I think will serve the country above themselves, then I will cross party lines. It is nothing more than duty to country.

I voted for John McCain because I believed he was more experienced and more prepared for the challenges we face. I still believe that.  But on election night, the country delivered the election to his Democratic rival, and now we get on with the business of governing.

Barack Obama was not my candidate, but HE IS my president. As an American, I am proud of my country, her institutions and her opportunities. It's all about America and how we choose to approach citizenship and fulfill our duties to our country. Freedom and citizenship can be hardwork and sacrifice. And it should be. Without hardwork and sacrifice, how can it be appreciated?

"There is, perhaps, no greater challenge to our planet than the challenge of learning to accept one another with mutual respect, appreciating the best elements of one another and standing for one another, building each other up even when we may disagree. It is a fundamental respect for humanity and the individual that should propel us toward a determination for peaceful coexistence."

 -Will Griffith

IT'S ABOUT THE COUNTRY STUPID!

BY WILL GRIFFITH

As the news arrived late last night that U.S. Navy Seals took out three pirates in the Somalia stand-off, leading to the rescue of the Captain of the maritime commercial ship who had been taken hostage, I was overcome with pride, once again, in our military and in the actions taken by the Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama.

For all of my criticism concerning President Obama's economic policies and a variety of his foreign policy positions, I was proud this morning of my President and of the Obama Administration for taking action against these thugs on the high-seas.

When a military victory is won on the watch of the Commander-in-Chief, regardless of whether or not we voted for him, credit must be given where it is due.

Our United States military, who executed this rescue with brilliance and with accuracy, deserve a salute from every American this morning. Our President also deserves to be saluted for his willingness to take on the pirates and end this particular siege of terror.

For those who dislike President Obama's policies on a variety of levels and will not appreciate this moment of victory, giving the Commander-in-Chief credit for a successful military action, I would remind you that when it comes to the national security of our country and our willingness to fight terror where ever it is found, political affiliation and our personal political bias should be replaced with a spirit of pride in our country. This action, along with President Obama's decision to continue the intelligence surveillance programs of the Bush Administration, are actions I applaud, not as a Republican, but as an American

The President of the United States deserves this moment and the recognition of the American people for a job well done. When we are faced with moments such as this one, it is not about republican or democrat, liberal or conservative. It is not about whether  we like the person or the president. To my friends on both sides of the aisle, it is not about politics...IT'S ABOUT THE COUNTRY STUPID.

"There can be no mistake about it, our country is unique because we have certain core beliefs and principles that bind us together, Regardless of left or right, there is something uniquely American that reminds us that in the final analysis, we are one people, one nation, born out of many and tempered by sacrifice, courage and challenge. America will always tap her greatness."

 -Will Griffith

"Consistency in all things family-oriented. Spontaneity in all things sensual and passionate. Patience in all things irritating and communication in all of the above. This is the formula for a healthy relationship."
-Will Griffith

COUNTER-TERRORISM & INTELLIGENCE CAN BE BETTER

BY WILL GRIFFITH

" We live in exciting times, where the challenges we face we face together. We have our disagreements for certain and we will overcome them because we must. We simply have to stop relishing in the frailty of others and reach a point of empathy and compassion for one another. Liberal or conservative, we can stand together as one. It can be done. It must be done."

 -Will Griffith

FIGHTING TERROR AND PIRACY WITH BROADCAST, SPACE-AGE TECHNOLOGIES

BY WILL GRIFFITH

With the recent stand-off between American sailors and pirates from Somalia, not to mention the daily threats of terror coming out of the ranks of the Taliban, Al Qaeda and other extremist groups, we have also heard about the lack of available security in an age when our satellite technology allows us to read a license plate from space.

The fact is that these threats pose opportunities for private security companies to develop new, effective and innovative ways of combating these threats.

My belief that the future of intelligence gathering and surveillance rests in new technologies like Internet broadcast communications integrated with new airship technologies, has been reaffirmed in my own circles, not to mention among the government.

The Pentagon has already announced a plan to use unmanned airships for these purposes. Although the contract has yet to be awarded, the high level of focus and priority on the use of this technology is even more urgent with the realization that terrorist thugs can emerge from anywhere, any country, at anytime.

The new doors opened through internet broadcasting technologies are vast. Our own broadcast communications efforts at our company, integrated with new systems for live, 24 hour surveillance capabilities, presents new and advanced ways of searching for and preventing a threat before it occurs.

Our ability to thwart or disable an attack is vast, if only we tap our resources and move forward.

It requires a collective effort of diverse talents, diverse ideas and a spirit of cooperation to get the job done, regardless of who gets the credit.

When it comes to fighting terrorism and acts such as piracy on the high-seas, the use of new technologies that are capable, cost-effective and easy to implement are needed and needed now.

We probably all have an idea of how to do it and as the smaller start ups and entrepreneurs stay guarded, ill-funded and unprepared to work in an effective and collective way, the job has yet to get done. The government will award their contracts to larger corporations and will receive less efficiency and an inferior product or system because they provided a plan while the small guy on the block could have done it better, more cost effective and made it work.

The concerns surrounding cyber- security, piracy, terrorism and other issues of security threats leave unanswered questions. We can answer those questions and will answer them if we decide to move forward and think outside of the box. We need to look beyond the way things have been done and introduce new, innovated ways of doing things.

This is how history is made and technology evolves to the next level. And even with the issues of security facing our country and our globe, the K.I.S.S. method is actually the method that is required for these times. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID is our approach.

Together, we can make monumental strides for private and government security by creating a think-tank and an alliance between space and other entrepreneurs. In doing so, the job gets done and our world is a bit safer and more secure.

" We must never forget, as we debate the issues and find ourselves in dissent with one another on the challenges we face, that in the final analysis we are all Americans with our love of country our common thread. It is possible to solve the issues once we stop judging one another with self-righteous fervor and recognize our differences, celebrating them as truly American. Then the nation heals."

 -Will Griffith

THE ECONOMICS OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL SECURITY

BY WILL GRIFFITH

As we follow the news of the potential of credit markets freezing, the loss of more jobs and the potential turn from recession to depression, it is nearly enough to make us flip the news channel to America's Next Top Model.

President Barack Obama, as we've learned, is now being briefed every morning by the CIA on the global economy. The need for sound economic intelligence has become as important as terror-analysis and a National Security briefing.

And it is a good move!

We know that Osama bin Laden and other terrorist leaders have called for the economic collapse of the United States. Bin Laden himself has cited the September 11th attacks as his best example that by targeting America's financial institutions and markets, Al Qaeda could bring about the economic collapse of the country. In 2004, Bin Laden delivered a video broadcast on Al Jazeera television, bragging that his terror network spent around $500,000 to initiate 911, while the United States lost over $500 billion, according to the lowest estimates.

These factors, and the continuing economic crisis facing the United States, all lead to the grave but realistic potential of another terrorist attack by Al Qaeda. For the terror network, the time is ripe. I am certain this is why the FBI Director and other intelligence professionals are talking this week of another potential attack in 2009. The fact that it has been 7 years since the last attack places additional pressure on the terrorists to act soon. And if they do, they will be equally pressured to dwarf the damage reaped upon our nation on 911.

As a result, entrepreneurs, corporate America and the private sector must remain vigilant and prepared, We must support our local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, our intelligence men and women and the military efforts to guard our nation. We must put aside the petty bickering of political ideology and put the country first.

While I do not agree with government bailouts, talk of nationalization and the economic policies of this Administration, I also recognize that many do. I equally recognize that the economic, military, scientific and entrepreneurial strength of our country depends upon a spirit and resolve of cooperation, dialogue and placing the best interests of our nation over the political interests of Washington's agenda.

The existence of this threat is not a fear tactic, but rather the reality of the age in which we live. Regardless of our respective ventures in commerce and business, we all recognize the need to remain alert, supportive of those now charged with the National Security of our country and doing our part in the private sector to think ahead, planning for the possibility of terror.

The War on Terror is, indeed, a war. It requires a new kind of warfare and strategy never before used. We face a new kind of enemy and one without borders or conscience.

I believe President Barack Obama recognizes this and will preserve, protect and defend the homeland as he swore to do for the future of his daughters and our own children and grandchildren. But I would also urge the President to recognize that the facts and numbers speak for themselves. Another major attack could cripple the markets and bring the nation to its knees. The President can not dismantle the institutions President Bush put into play to keep America safe. I am of the firm belief that this is why President Obama chose to carry Defense Secretary Robert Gates from the Bush White House into his own Administration.

In the face of economic turmoil and the constant threat of terror, we must not let our guard down. But we must also not stop being the nation we were meant to be. A nation of courage, not complacency. A nation of production and innovation, not stagnation and fear.

Entrepreneurs of all walks of life, all across our nation, are the ones who will get this country moving again. The imagination and new ideas put into action will ignite a new era of scientific, technological and commercial strength for our nation.

Because the war against terror and the national security of our country is so tied into the economic health of our nation, the entrepreneurs of America have an active, integral and determined hand in the security and future of the United States.

As we follow our dreams and cut a new path on which to journey toward our entrepreneurial and business success, let us also keep close to us the very real fact that in doing so we also contribute great things to our country.

I am convinced that not only will we succeed, as entrepreneurs and as a nation, but WE MUST!

MOVING FORWARD WITH OUR DREAMS

BY WILL GRIFFITH

" As citizens of the United States, the obligation to our country is enormous. We have, for far too long, been complacent, allowing Washington to brutalize the American spirit through power-grabs and political profit. In order to bring our nation back to greatness, partisanship and salesmanship must take a backseat to people and patriotism. We must come together in the center as Americans. "

-Will Griffith

" There is neither room nor excuse for the twisted societal behavior where our law enforcement become targets of hateful rhetoric. Our citizenship requires a collective effort, mutual dedication and respect for our men and women in blue. There must be zero tolerance when it comes to any threat against our law enforcement, whether real or implied. on this there is no room for debate."
-Will Griffith

TALK OF NATIONALIZATION CAUSE FOR REFLECTION

BY WILL GRIFFITH

The talk today of the nationalization of U.S. banks is a major cause for concern among business and entrepreneurs. It should cause us to take a look at history, not only our own, but the histories of other nations who have gone down that dark, filthy path of allowing the government to control that which we know the private sector can do better.

Space exploration and technology is a great example. Space entrepreneurs have made progress in a short period of time, compared with government efforts full of red-tape and political controls.

In every arena, the private sector is the element that creates competition and better products from that competition. Technological advances are because of the existence of this element in the private sector, not because Uncle Sam is much better at it than we are.

Government has its place...and the nationalization of U.S. banks or of any private venture is not it. It encroaches upon the fundamentals of capitalism and a free market society.

To be certain, the banks did a terrible job this round. But to suggest that the government can do any better would be laughable, if not so close to being the reality.

Once we give the green light for government to take control of the banking system through nationalization, we open the door for government controls in other areas of the private sector.

We need to recognize the dangers facing our country and ask ourselves whether or not we will meet the task, provide leadership in an era so void of it and provide a future of security and prosperity for our children and our grandchildren.

I don't want the next generation to look back upon what we did today with a bowed head and a tearful cheek. I want them to know that WE did everything in our power to give them an America where hard work, faith and the reward of dreams is alive and well.

This moment in history is a time for decision, not complacency. It is a moment when entrepreneurs and small business should stand as an example of what we can do, despite the tough times in which we live.

We can do it together, without Uncle Sam holding our hand. We simply have to resolve to do so.

"Today we have the opportunity to speak a kind word, show a little love and reach out to someone who may be waiting for us to do so. Let's not allow the opportunity to do so pass us by. Tomorrows only count when they arrive. Today is the day in which our life can matter. Today is the hour in which we live."

 -Will Griffith

THE EVOLUTION OF SUCCESS

BY WILL GRIFFITH

The question has been asked time and time again. "What is success"? The answers to that question can be as varied and diverse as the business world itself.

If one is talking about financial success alone, this question is, of course, measured by profits and numbers. If the question is asked about one's personal life, for many of us success is measured by our families, our partners and our children.

Success in any form is an evolutionary process. It requires more than text-book formulas and more often than not requires failure as a main ingredient to our eventual success.

Regardless of the business in which you find yourself engaged, I think you will agree that we all experience this evolutionary process. Our circumstances and stations in life and business may be different in scope, but we all experience set-backs, we all make mistakes in our journey to succeed and we all have the possibility of failure lingering at our doorstep.

To address success, failure can not be ignored. As we see Wall Street in a downward spiral and the talk of stimulus and bailouts a constant fixture of Washington dialogue, it becomes easy to forget the elements of true success. Integrity, responsibility and faith in our respective visions are the very foundations for true success. While it seems routine on Wall Street these days to expect the American taxpayer and the government elected to represent those taxpayers to bail us out of mismanagement and mistakes for which we are responsible, we also lose focus. We lose focus of a fundamental fact of economic freedom and success. It is also a fundamental element of true capitalism...'The freedom to fail'.

As entrepreneurs and CEO's we do not address failure much. I have often said 'failure is not an option' when describing our online broadcasting ventures at Griffith Corp. However, failure is always an option, whether we address it or not. It is often the experience of set-backs and failures that propel us toward the pinnacle of success. Success does not come from a sudden windfall of cash. Success derives from hard work, disappointments from time-to-time and set-backs. The successful entrepreneur is the one who refuses to quit and brushes off their knees to get back up and do it better the next round.

Our technological advances over the last century alone would have never been realized without the entrepreneurs who made mistakes and experienced failure. Failure, for most of the innovators and brilliant minds of invention was a key element to the eventual success of their vision.

As we continue to exchange dialogue on how to climb from the abyss of uncertain economic times, and for those who may find themselves discouraged by set-backs in their respective ventures, let us always remember the evolution of success and the journey by which many of us reach it. Let us not fear the possibility of failure, nor the mistakes we'll make along the way Indeed, these elements, as difficult as they always are to face, often bring forth the success of one's vision and the making of history.

If you go to bed at night and awake the next morning as enthusiastic and as energetic as you were the night before to accomplish that which you set out to accomplish, success is on the horizon. We can then stop asking IF we will succeed, but WHEN..

"The House has passed the President's Mandatory Volunteerism bill. This requires adults and children to perform community service. You can't legislate public service. it must be cultivated and inspired. This is a bad bill and it is an encroachment on the liberty of the American people at-large."

 -Will Griffith

"Gentlemen, when it comes to our women there is no doubt they deserve the room to be women, and not robotic manifestations of what we expect them to be. They deserve allowances to do what women do and you know damn well we appreciate it. Without them, well, it goes without saying. We need them and we know it! "

-Will Griffith

"If you hire someone to clean your house and they leave your house a mess, let every stranger come from the street and party in it, and then they steal your money on top of it are you going to give that housekeeper a raise, pay for their health care and pay for their benefits? Washington has left the House of Representatives a mess and have done it on our dime. You don't reward them, you fire them! "

-Will Griffith

"The fast food-microwave mentality in our country seems to have poured over into our national government. We want what we want when we want it and we expect a prize in our happy meal when Uncle Sam votes to give us something. And as far as the Big Gulp we're forced to drink in the way of taxes, hell just supersize it. Just give us what we want when we want it. This is bad policy and bad government."

 -Will Griffith

"As we celebrate America's birthday, and the independence of a nation forged through sacrifice and the unimaginable dream that just maybe this experiment in democracy could work, that we could be free, let us use this day to reaffirm the spirit of that dream and keep it alive for our children."

 -Will Griffith

"There are those of the mind that America is dead. That the fire of liberty is extinguished. America is alive! She was neglected and She may need a little mouth to mouth to resuscitate her, but she is alive and Her heart of freedom is beating. When she awakes, she will be stronger, and then we nurse her back to health. Bringing Her back to health and greatness...this is our job as Americans."

 -Will Griffith

" The world has much healing to experience. Victims of oppression, discrimination and abuse, these are those who will have the burden of winning the battle against hate and tyranny. They will have to be the ones to forgive. Indeed, if the world is to begin to heal the only weapons in the arsenal to do so will be forgiveness and love. And, as cliche as it may sound, the world will be saved by love."

 -Will Griffith

" Humanity is diverse. No government, no bureaucrat and no religion has the right to encroach upon the peace and dignity of ANY individual or their rights to coexist peacefully. If you don't like the lifestyle your neighbor is living, don't invite him to a BBQ on the weekend. But for godsake, don't burn his house down. "

-Will Griffith

"The soul of a nation is not saved by legislation. As the bureaucrats rape the soul of countries, the people inevitably rise up to resist. The Iranian people, under threat or death, are determined to be heard and to be free. Humankind is free by design. And while we may have to fight for it, it is the destiny of people to be free. We must fight for the soul of freedom, the very heart of liberation. "

-Will Griffith

"As a people, the struggles for the freedom and liberation of others who are not like us, who do not believe what we believe and who are far removed from our daily routine, these are those who we must defend. For if we don't, who will come to our aid when our own freedom is taken? Our women and children are innocent victims of oppression and to their defense we must be committed."

-Will Griffith

"To enjoy the benefits of freedom without a care for the oppressed is simply inhumane. Freedom is a shared principle of humankind. But some will never experience the sweet taste of liberty, only the bitterness of oppression, slavery and abuse. A child is in chains somewhere in the world. How can we stay passive and silent?"

-Will Griffith

" The challenges of humankind can not be championed by bureaucrats. These challenges must be championed with a resolve of spirit, a resolve to conquer the obstacles and a resolve to roll-up our sleeves, face the challenges eye to eye and press on until the human condition is improved and the rights of the oppressed restored. People, not politics, will face the challenges and they will triumph."

 -Will Griffith

" The progress of men and women can not be determined by any government agenda, nor the politicians who put political profit over people. Indeed, once injustice is found the people right the wrong come hell or high water and a new age of freedom and liberty is born."

 -Will Griffith

"There can be no rhyme or reason to the epidemic of human trafficking. To watch as governments around the world stand idle while this horror surges against our women and children, one can not remain passive or silent. It is incumbent upon us to roar a lion's roar until decisive action is taken. Not just rhetoric but action!"

-Will Griffith

" Freedom requires vigilance and energy. It requires responsibility and the qualities of perspective. While we often look at freedom through our own eyes, it would do our country well to remember that only by protecting the freedom of another, who may not agree with us, can the sacred fire of liberty truly light the world. "

-Will Griffith

"For the innocent, governments have done an inadequate job of protecting them. Our women and children will suffer today as victims of human slavery. While we go about the routine of our day, a child will suffer at the hands of the human slave trade, used and wounded for life. And for those who don't survive, may the world be haunted by their memory!"

-Will Griffith

"For the innocent, governments have done an inadequate job of protecting them. Our women and children will suffer today as victims of human slavery. While we go about the routine of our day, a child will suffer at the hands of the human slave trade, used and wounded for life. And for those who don't survive, may the world be haunted by their memory!"

-Will Griffith

" The challenges we face with Iran and North Korea are foreign policy challenges that are of grave concern. But the most vital issues rest not in the determination of another country for the welfare of our own, but rather in our self-determination to face the global issues facing human kind with an ability to step outside of the box and show the world that America remains the beacon of hope and liberty."

 -Will Griffith

"A wise man once said that when the flame of liberty dies in the heart of men and women, there is no constitution on earth that can save it. The passion we feel for the restoration of our country, and the desire to return our country to greatness, this passion is the American spirit. It is the fuel needed for the preservation of liberty and freedom for generations to come."

 -Will Griffith

" Our time on this earth is a short one. We can squander it bickering and paying attention to the lives of others, picking them a part for how they live, or we can take our own destiny by the hand, focus on what we will do with the time we have and whether or not we will build those up around us or spend our time tearing them down. For me, there is enough destruction of people. I simply won't contribute."

 -Will Griffith

" Because it is my steadfast belief that all government begins in the home, we also need to recognize that our families are different. Families don't fit into some perfect societal mode. The family where love, respect for one another and loyalty are ever present are the qualities that will one day pour into our local, state, federal and global governments. We are all different and yet the same."

-Will Griffith

"Silence in the midst of injustice has no defense. The burden of action is upon those who recognize injustice and seek to right the wrong. To remain silent is to bury our head in the sand and ignore the incumbency upon us to do something."

-Will Griffith

"The passion for people must be greater than the passion for politics. Once these priorities are in order, great things can be accomplished in alleviating the suffering and obstacles people face. Politics is an inevitable barrier to the progress of people when these priorities are out of order and if things are to change, we must be resolved to return to public service and lay political ambition aside."

-Will Griffith

" While there is so much suffering and so much complacency in government to alleviate that suffering through effective leadership, the people have every right, every duty and every mandate to do it themselves. While government debates the issue, you and I will be in the trenches finding solutions. Let the bureaucrats fight amongst themselves. It keeps them busy while we fight human suffering."

 -Will Griffith

" For those who think racism or bigotry has faded into the pages of history, do not be misled. The evils of racism, bigotry and prejudice exists and will continue to exist. We must simply be resolved to never grow complacent and to stand against the injustice of ignorance. Our children are watching and they will learn from our example. "

-Will Griffith

"Once the taste of freedom touches the lips of the oppressed, something happens. The desire becomes sweet to the tongue, and the mind knows that nothing has ever tasted so good. The sweet nectar of liberty will always triumph over the bitterness of oppression. In Iran they have tasted and there's no turning back. FREEDOM DAWNING FOR IRAN! "

-Will Griffith

"Injustice is the seed of activism and gives birth to the human capacity for compassion, empathy and courage. It is the fuel in the fire of peaceful revolution and can be the cause of war. The path to justice can not be predicted. At times we find ourselves opposed by evil of tyrants and the hand of oppression. In cases where peace and justice is caged, the soul of the people must soar as it is in Iran."

 -Will Griffith

"The inherent desire for self-government and liberty dwells in the hearts of people from every nation. As we are witnessing in Iran, much is required of some to achieve these liberties. Once sacrifice is made for freedom, the danger of taking that freedom for granted is diminished. When there is no sacrifice the vision of freedom will perish."

 -Will Griffith

"Let us remain clear and sensible of the fact that while every individual is born with fundamental human rights, the most innocent of our society deserve the most consideration. Our children deserve to be protected from predators and, I will add, these predators forfeit any sympathy from society when they harm a child. Zero tolerance..no debate."

 -Will Griffith

"The global community can not be considered immune from the lack of leadership in public life. The United Nations, with all of the potential to do great things in our world, has suffered from no backbone and no leadership in dealing with tyranny. U.N. reform is necessary, and should begin with the spineless occupants in the general Assembly. New leadership and a new program is required."

 -Will Griffith

" The problems plaguing the United States will not be corrected by a single administration or a mid-term election. They will be solved through the iron will of the American people when we reach the conclusion we deserve better from their government. We deserve leadership, not salesmanship. And we must lead that charge."

 -Will Griffith

" What about our public servants? When was they last time a servant made more than their boss, had better health care than their boss and lived in a larger home than their boss? The American people are suppose to be the boss in this country. Does Washington look occupied by public servants to you?"

 -Will Griffith

"To speak of freedom we must recognize that it transcends political and religious affiliation, race and sexual orientation, gender or national origin. We are all created with the potential to be free. It is incumbent upon us to assure that we defend the freedoms of others who are not like us if our own freedom is to be preserved. "

-Will Griffith

" There must be more attention given to the bureaucratic hurdles which hamper progress in human rights in the international community. Political agendas continue to create pawns of the lives of innocent human beings, many of which are being sold into human slavery, because politics stands in the way of progress. Together, we must resolve to overcome these obstacles."

 -Will Griffith

" When we reach out and embrace the suffering of another and we feel the empathy for their plight, it is the breath of God on our brow, reminding us that the defenseless, the voiceless, the abused and mistreated...these individuals are precious to Him. It explains why we are here and why our work can never be finished."

 -Will Griffith

"Let's remember in the midst of our varied routines and schedules today that a mutual respect for one another, the celebration of our differences, and the fundamental pledge to defend the dignity of one another will go miles in making this day, and others, a vibrant testament to the common threads which binds us together, one to the other."

 -Will Griffith

" The premise of justice is the closely held belief in equality for all, regardless of race, economics, religion, politics or any station in one's life. But justice can not be executed without the fundamental ideal that conscience is the conduit. If we are to be just in government and society we must start by being just with one another. It will spread, for certain."

 -Will Griffith

"Let us remain ever sensible of our individual obligation to humankind. We recognize that the human condition can only be improved by the action of people. We all rely on other people in learning how to be a member of the human family. Not one of us is fully self-supporting. We all need someone and someone needs us."

-Will Griffith

"The denial of the rights of one stands as a barrier to freedom for all. When captivity, assault, human trafficking and terrorism run rampant over the liberty of a single human soul, the responsibility rests upon those who are free, to fight against this injustice. To enjoy one's freedom without thought of the oppressed is like eating a piece of bread while your child goes hungry."

 -Will Griffith

"While we have a bad habit of alienating people who may be of a different race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or even political affiliation, we need to recognize that the world is bigger than our own little corner of it. If we simply come to terms with human dignity and recognize that it must be guarded, along with human rights, the differences fade and common ground is achieved. "

-Will Griffith

" Human rights can not be talked about nor can it be campaign for, without talking about liberty and the destiny of self-government. Social justice can not be talked about or fought for without respect and guardianship of social order. Our greatest adversary to human rights are not dictators or tyrannical regimes, but rather our own political agendas. Let's end that and bring focus back to the cause."

 -Will Griffith