Upon returning from Iraq, Representative Mandel was horrified to learn
that, like all states, Ohio's public pension systems are invested
heavily in foreign companies that do business in and with Iran.
In other words, these foreign companies provide corporate life support
to what the State Department describes as the world's foremost sponsor
of terrorism.
Iran is at war with America. New revelations reported by ABC News
provide proof that Iran is arming the Taliban in Afghanistan. But Iran's
proxy war against the United States goes back much further to the time
they formed Hizbullah and killed 241 Marines in a suicide bombing in
Beirut, Lebanon in 1983.
Josh filed a bill in the current legislative session in Ohio to end that
state's investments in foreign companies doing business in and with
Iran.
Then came the revelation that Honda has close business ties to Iran.
Honda has a large plant in Ohio. Whispers suddenly began to be heard
that should that legislation be passed, Ohioans would lose their jobs.
In other words, Honda values its relationship with the Ayatollahs who
are killing Americans more than it values its employees in Ohio. This
after news earlier this year that Daimler-Chrysler, which had made a
sizable investment in Iran just within the last five years, was pulling
itself out of that country.
Frankly, I am still skeptical that this rumor could possibly be true.
Any automaker that was to put Iran ahead of America in such a brazen
manner would surely lose market share and suffer a loss in sales.
But there is only silence from Honda spokespersons and the persistent
rumors that have the political leaders in Ohio spooked.
Will Honda put Iran in front of America's heroes?
Only time will tell.
Christopher Holton is the director of the Center for Security Policy's Divest Terror Initiative. He can be reached at holton@centerforsecuritypolicy.org