With a dramatic backdrop of the American flag in the right window and two towers from the Time Warner building in the left window giving a subtle reminder of pre-September 11th times, MDAA hosted the New York City Breakfast of Champions at the prestigious Metropolitan Club on Fifth Avenue.

New York City is the financial center of the world. Wall street analysts and financial community leaders came to hear Lt. General Henry ‘Trey’ Obering III, Director of the Missile Defense Agency, discuss the initiatives of his organization. Lt. General Obering’s presented recent videos of missile testing over the last three months, giving the audience a realistic assessment of our missile defense capabilities.

Discussions also centered on the current and proposed systems and their technology to protect New York City and financials communities located throughout the world. The devastating actions of September 11th cost the New York City economy upwards of $ 84 billion, without taking into account the loss of life.

Only about three percent of our defense tax dollars are dedicated to missile defense. The cost of this economic protection from a ballistic missile attack is well worth the small annual investment of tax dollars. A nuclear attack delivered by a ballistic missile would multiply the economic damage caused by the events of September 11 by one hundred fold and more. Our country has made this investment over the past twenty- six years that will protect us from this potential economic devastation.

In recognition of the will and leadership of this missile defense investment over time, we at MDAA take a moment of silence and respect for recently deceased Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger who was instrumental under President Ronald W. Reagan’s vision of strategic defense.

There is growing concern in our nation’s capital in regarding a pre-emptive military strike against the country of Iran for it’s nuclear proliferation. We at MDAA would rather save American, Allied and civilian’s bloodshed that would come from a pre-emptive military action by offering other options and solutions to the nuclear proliferation problem of the world.

Missile defense is a clear option and solution that we must have as a government. Pre-emptive military action on Iran as a precedence would undoubtedly continue against proliferating countries and groups that produce technology and weapons that have yet or will ever be controlled internationally.

From a room with a view for a world with a view.