Most U.S. citizens who wish they could do something to combat terrorism do not enlist in the military, or leave their jobs to join intelligence and law enforcement agencies engaged in the War on Terror. What can the average American do to help eradicate global terrorism, or at least make it increasingly difficult for terrorists to obtain weaponry or travel? One easy and effective tactic available to any American owning stocks or shares in mutual funds is to make sure your hard earned money is not being invested in companies who are known to do business with foreign states identified by the U.S. State Department as state sponsors of terrorism.
In an article published in yesterday’s edition of the Wall Street Journal, Missouri State Treasurer Sarah Steelman brilliantly explained the work of an independent research firm, Conflict Securites Advisory Group (CSAG), that has identified 485 publicly traded companies doing business with four governments designated by the State Department as state sponsors of terrorism. Those four terrorist sponsors are Iran, Sudan, North Korea, and Syria. These companies offer a wide variety of services to these regimes, and the lucrative contracts provide these governments with the ability to fund terrorist activities, develop WMD programs, and supply weapons and logistical support to the insurgency in Iraq that is killing American soldiers. Steelman rightly advised that by cutting off investments in these companies, CEOs will be pressured to change business practices and choose clients not affiliated with terrorists. When share prices and dividends decline, CEOs are jettisoned as excess baggage. In the interest of self preservation, these CEOs will adopt the terror-free business practices they should already have been following.
Steelman’s insightful article also described how as Missouri State Treasurer, she helped her state develop and launch the nation’s first “terror-free investment fund,” and is rolling out Missouri’s 529 College Savings Advisor Plan in 2007 that will offer the Roosevelt Anti-Terror Multi-Cap Fund (RATF). This fund will exclude companies doing business with designated state sponsors of terrorism. This concept will allow Missourians to do the right thing twice with one investment: save for a child’s college tuition; and combat global terrorism by keeping money out of the hands of terrorists and regimes seeking WMD development.
Other investment firms have begun to follow suit, such as Nationwide Financial, and according to market research performed by Steelman’s office and CSAG, the transition to terror-free investing within mutual funds has been very successful. In fact, the funds are significantly outperforming existing indexes. If there is any question that money talks, we should consider, as Steelman reminded, that South Africa is free of Apartheid because of financial pressures created by shareholders in companies doing business with the South African government. Apartheid-free investing worked, and every indication is that terror-free investing is also effective.
It is not often that the average American is presented with a direct opportunity to fight terrorism. The operatives who struck us on 9/11 needed funds to train, travel here, find housing, feed themselves, enroll in flight schools, rent cars, purchase airline tickets to perform dry runs, and finally to purchase those fateful one-way tickets for the 9/11 flights. If you could keep money from flowing to such operatives preparing for future attacks, would you? Learn more about terror-free investing through the links above, and ask your financial planner or 401k manager to exclude any company identified by CSAG as doing business with terror sponsors. American intelligence and law enforcement agencies are limited by available funding for our efforts to combat terrorism, and terrorists also rely on funding to recruit, train, and act. Without funds, their efforts are significantly hampered.
If Americans can boycott Disney over moral issues or Wal-Mart over clothes production in sweatshops, we can rise to this occasion and withhold funds from those who have already killed thousands of Americans and are preparing to do so again. Is your money being invested in one of the 485 companies identified by CSAG? With a few clicks of your mouse, you can find out and fight terrorism from your desk.
CSAG Missouri Terror-Free Investing Sarah Steelman War On Terror Wall Street Journal Conflict Securities Advisory Group State Department
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