Most of us just want to live in peace, but leaders all over the world are preparing for more war. In fact, at this point it appears that the entire globe is being gripped by a really bad case of war fever. As I write this article, the Economic Community of West African States is warning that it could invade the nation of Niger if coup leaders do not reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.
Of course the leaders of the coup do not intend to back down, and so there will probably be war. But that will be a relatively small conflict compared to others that are looming on the horizon.
On Monday, we learned that over 3,000 U.S. troops have arrived in the Red Sea…
More than 3,000 United States military personnel have arrived in the Red Sea aboard two warships, part of a beefed up response from Washington after tanker seizures by Iran, the US Navy said Monday.
The deployment adds to a growing US military buildup in tense Gulf waterways vital to the global oil trade and led Tehran on Monday to accuse the US of inflaming regional instability.
This is part of an ongoing effort by the Biden administration to bolster U.S. forces in the region, and it is hoped that a larger U.S. presence will deter Iran from taking control of any more internationally flagged ships…
Their arrival followed a U.S. announcement last month it would deploy a destroyer, F-35 and F-16 warplanes, along with the Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit, to the Middle East to deter Iran from seizing ships in the Gulf.
The U.S. military says Iran has either seized or attempted to take control of nearly 20 internationally flagged ships in the region over the past two years and the Biden White House wants to see more forces in the region to stand ready to engage Iran if required, as Breitbart News reported.
Meanwhile, it is being reported that the city of Damascus was just “rocked by Israeli missile strikes”…
After weeks of relative quiet, the Syrian capital of Damascus was rocked by Israeli missile strikes in the early Monday morning hours, resulting in the deaths of four Syrian soldiers and several more wounded, according to state agency SANA.
The attack also caused unspecified “material damage” – while multiple inbound projectiles were reportedly intercepted by Syrian air defense. Videos which emerged in the aftermath appeared to show intercept explosions above the city in the overnight hours.
Tensions in the Middle East haven’t been this high in decades, and a major war could erupt at literally any time.
But I don’t think that planners in the west are anticipating a major war in the Middle East in 2023.
My personal opinion is that if a big move in the region is planned, it will be in 2024.
Meanwhile, the much-hyped “counter-offensive” in Ukraine is not going very well…
On Aug. 3-5, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lost 2,040 additional men, bringing Ukrainian casualties to over 45,000 since the beginning of the “Counter-Offensive” June 4. The AFU has approx. 200.000 combat soldiers, 36.000 of which were trained at NATO bases like Grafenwöhr, Germany in the past months.
Writing on Russian Sputnik News, US Maj. Scott Ritter called the Ukrainian attack on heavily defended Russian lines with inexperienced troops and no air support a “massacre”, with Ukrainians suffering losses at the rate of 10 to 1 compared to the Russians. Ritter called the “road to Rabotino” east of Zaporizhzhia “a highway to hell”
Ritter is quite right. Ukrainian forces are just getting slaughtered by well prepared Russian defenses, but more young Ukrainians are being sent to their deaths with each passing day.
This “counter-offensive” was supposed to be the campaign that turned the tide of the war, but instead it is the Russians that are currently advancing…
Russia claimed its troops had advanced three kilometres (two miles) along the Kupiansk front in northeastern Ukraine.
The Russian defence ministry said that it had “improved” its standing along the front line in the last three days and continued to repel Ukrainian counter-attacks.
“Over the past three days, the advance of Russian troops… amounted to 11 kilometres along the front and more than three kilometres deep into the enemy’s defence,” the ministry said.
But instead of pushing for peace, the Biden administration continues to insist that we are going to pour more resources into this war “for as long as it takes”, and so both sides just continue to escalate matters.
On the other side of the planet, the Chinese continue to prepare for an invasion of Taiwan.
And once the Chinese do invade, the U.S. and China will instantly be at war.
Most Americans do not seem to understand how close we really are to such a scenario. The Chinese government is absolutely obsessed with “reuniting” with Taiwan, and an eight part documentary was just released on Chinese television that is helping to mentally prepare the general public for the conflict that lies ahead…
China has released a new documentary about the army’s preparation to attack Taiwan and showcasing soldiers pledging to give up their lives if needed as Beijing continues to ramp up its rhetoric against the self-ruled island.
“Chasing Dreams,” an eight-part docuseries aired by state broadcaster CCTV earlier this week to mark the People Liberation Army’s 96th anniversary, features military drills and testimonials by dozens of soldiers, of which several express their willingness to die in a potential attack against Taiwan.
This eight part documentary would not be on state television if the central government did not want it there.
In it, some members of the Chinese military express their intention to literally lay down their lives if that is what is necessary to take Taiwan…
“If war broke out and the conditions were too difficult to safely remove the naval mines in actual combat, we would use our own bodies to clear a safe pathway for our (landing) forces,” Zuo Feng, a frogman with the PLA Navy’s minesweeper unit, said in a testimonial.
Li Peng, a pilot from Wang Hai Squadron under the PLA Air Force, echoed his statement, saying his “fighter jet would be the last missile rushing towards the enemy if in a real battle, I had used up all my ammunition.”
Do you think that most U.S. soldiers have that same level of devotion in this day and age?
Ultimately, the U.S. military could find itself fighting both Russia and China at the same time, and that is why an incident that just occurred off the coast of Alaska is so chilling…
Eleven military vessels from China and Russia found operating near the Aleutian Islands last week were met by four U.S. Navy destroyers, Alaska’s two U.S. senators said.
The two Republican senators, Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski, issued a joint news release Saturday night saying they had been briefed about the operation.
“We have been in close contact with leadership from Alaska Command for several days now and received detailed classified briefings about the foreign vessels,” Murkowski said.
The Biden administration has been endlessly provoking the Russians and the Chinese, and this has just driven them into each other’s arms.
Before I end this article, I should also mention the North Koreans as well, because they just threatened to “annihilate” us before the end of this century…
North Korea’s Foreign Ministry this week vowed that the country would “annihilate” the United States, adding that the U.S. would be terminated this century.
“Should the U.S. choose to offend our Republic, we will annihilate them by using all our military power that we have gathered so far,” the North Korean diplomats said in a statement Thursday, the 70th anniversary of the Korean War armistice.
“The Korean War in the last century marked the beginning of the downfall of the U.S. Now, the 21st century would see the irrevocable termination of the U.S. The rulers of the U.S. are well advised to forget, on no account, the lessons of history.”
We are certainly living during a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, and I am entirely convinced that 2024 is going to be such an important turning point.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
If the American people truly understood the horrors that the coming wars will cause, there would be millions of people protesting in the streets right now.
But they don’t. Most of us just assume that our leaders know exactly what they are doing and have everything under control. Unfortunately, the exact opposite is actually true.
We are steamrolling toward global conflict, and most global leaders do not even seem interested in talking about peace at this stage.
So the unthinkable is rapidly approaching, and most people will be absolutely blindsided by the nightmarish events that are about to unfold on our planet.
Michael’s new book entitled “End Times” is now available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can check out his new Substack newsletter right here.
Article cross-posted from End of the American Dream.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
