The Boys that Landed Bush

Two young men, a year after graduating college, established a nonprofit organization focused on counter-terrorism.  Matthew Swift and Nicholas Logothetis drew an all star cast to their inaugural meeting.

The A list included President George W. Bush, John Negroponte, Frances Townsend and Tom Kean.

Former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe said, "This morning when I met Nicholas and Matt I was amazed, they are so young and they have this commitment and this force to convene this summit."

This pair got The Heritage Group to show up and video proceedings.  The young duo pushed a decidedly pro-business agenda in regard to terrorism.  They spoke public-private partnerships (PPP's), trusted business and global brands as the solution to terrorism. 

1) Institute public-private partnerships to alleviate the social and economic conditions in at-risk countries that give rise to extremist thought and behavior

• Support from the private sector is vital in creating alternatives for youths that are at risk of being driven to extremist behavior due to the conditions surrounding them.
• Foreign investment and coordination with governments bring critical jobs. 
• Businesses should work with governments to design a subsidy program, similar to U.S. subsidies for farmers, incentivizing farmers in foreign countries who grow illegal substances to instead turn to crops that benefit the community as well as produce income.
• Businesses should establish a meaningful presence in communities to educate and support local leaders in their efforts to transform at-risk areas.

2) Modifications are needed to the Patriot Act and similar programs to improve efficiency and effectiveness

A. Governments should institute a "trusted business" program akin to the global "trusted traveler" program to allow honest and respected businesses to operate without being hindered by cumbersome regulations.

• This would result in significant savings in financial and labor resources for governments.

B. Governments should have strengthened capabilities to track, freeze and seize assets of suspected terrorists and drug dealers/distributors.

• With improved control over the resources of suspected terrorists, counter-terrorism teams will more effectively hinder their ability to operate.

3) Global brands could play a significant role in improving the image of governments among those that live in "at-risk" communities

• Conduct a study on how youths abroad view the United States and other countries through the lens of leading consumer brands, which play a powerful role in the perception of nations.
• Numerous educational opportunities exist for global corporations to leverage the power of their brands for the good of communities around the world.

Concordia is the new counter-terrorism brand, complete with an Index.  A toast to the young and well heeled.

It's a PEU circle of power, influence and greed.

Concordia Summit's star studded crowd drew media, even a double dose of Fox, where the boys once worked..

Swift "co-founded and serves as Chairman of Concord 51, a policy-based political action committee for young professionals focused on promoting fiscal responsibility, energy advancement and a strong defense policy."  He also established Concordia LLC, a company that manages the careers of former heads of state and luminaries. 

Swift is seen with Virginia Governor Bob MacDonald celebrating Thomas Jefferson's 268th birthday.  Former PEU and Blackstone co-founder Peter G. Peterson spoke at Monticello in honoring Jefferson.  I suspect Thomas Jefferson, the man who called for the right of Secret Societies to protest until all rights are restored, would be appalled by this crew.

Consider what Matthew did in less than a year:

2011 – Present (less than a year)

-Formed Concordia LLC, which serves as a representative agency for luminaries including former heads of state.
- Concordia designs the formal post-careers for key individuals including book publishing, speaking engagements, consulting contracts, corporate positions, academic posts and their overall public relations and online profile.
-The Concordia Foundation (subset of Concordia LLC) hosts a series of mini global series, aimed at bridging the divide between the private and public sectors. 

It takes connections to deliver all that, especially the retirement prize for politicians, senior advisor PEU slots.

Update 11-2-11:  Fran Townsend called Iran's plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador an act of war.