Oil free investing is terror free investing.

Frank Gaffney Jr’s “terror free investing“ (11-13-07) initiative would be a wonderful for defeating terrorists or bankrupting Iran’s genocidal leaders if it weren’t for three simple factors -- anyone of which could obliterate any chance of producing real results.

First, it doesn’t require a large or even a moderate sum of money to damage our increasingly energy dependent and excessively high-tech interdependent society or our profoundly armed and courageous military. Computer viruses or a weaponized Ebola virus are infinitely cheaper to develop than an nuclear bomb, and these micro WMDs get cheaper to make every day while the means to deliver them improves faster than spread of free trade in our lawless free enterprise world. According to an accountant (former Air Force officer) at DefenseTech.com (http://www.defensetech.org/archives/003798.html ) “one Humvee lost to an IED costs the military $2.1 million ($115,000 for Humvee and four personnel at $500,000)”. An insurgent producd video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxzUl9iahsM) states an “IED cost $32” as it successfully obliterates M3A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicle worth approximately $3.2 million not including the warriors inside. Mr. Gaffney obviously didn’t do the math.

Second, even if we could successfully stop all legal transactions that might deliver financing to mass murdering religious fanatics they won’t hesitate using illegal means to acquire what they need. The sale of illegal drugs, counterfeit products, or untaxed cigarettes can yield billions of U.S. dollars with virtually no overhead.

But last and most significant is a legal and plentiful source of funding that we could, but will not stop, because of our persistent decades long addiction. Iran has no shortage of oil and we have no amount of self discipline or wisdom. And, making matters even worse, every time Mr. Gaffney and his war minded friends threaten Iran, Iran’s oil profits rise as fast as the cost of oil.

Perhaps Mr. Gaffney would do better for our nation if he spent his limited resources and intellect pushing for an oil free energy source instead of a useless ‘missile defense’ or an unrealistic “terror free investment” scheme.