We are getting dangerously close to the “hot phase” of World War III, but most people in the western world don’t even realize what is going on.
They simply trust our leaders when they tell us that we will never have to be directly involved in a conflict with Russia, but meanwhile those same leaders continue to push us ever closer to such a scenario.
Yesterday, we learned that the UK has now delivered long-range “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles to Ukraine…
The United Kingdom has delivered multiple “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles to Ukraine, giving the nation a new long-range strike capability in advance of a highly anticipated counteroffensive against Russian forces, multiple senior Western officials told CNN.
UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, calling the donation Ukraine’s “best chance to defend themselves against Russia’s continued brutality,” confirmed the transaction on Thursday after CNN exclusively reported the deal.
These missiles do not have enough range to get to Moscow, but they do have the potential to hit strategic targets very deep inside Russian territory.
According to CNN, the UK government “has received assurances from the Ukrainian government that these missiles will be used only within Ukrainian sovereign territory”…
The Storm Shadow is a long-range cruise missile with stealth capabilities, jointly developed by the UK and France, which is typically launched from the air. With a firing range in excess of 250km, or 155 miles, it is just short of the 185-mile range capability of the US-made surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, that Ukraine has long asked for.
Critically, the Storm Shadow has the range to strike deep into Russian-held territory in Eastern Ukraine. A Western official told CNN that the UK has received assurances from the Ukrainian government that these missiles will be used only within Ukrainian sovereign territory and not inside Russia. UK officials have made frequent public statements identifying Crimea as Ukrainian sovereign territory, describing it as “illegally annexed.”
Of course the Ukrainians consider Crimea to be their “sovereign territory”, and the Russians also consider Crimea to be their “sovereign territory”.
And many experts are already anticipating that the Ukrainians will use these new missiles to strike Russia’s Black Sea fleet which is stationed in Crimea. Here is just one example…
Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army Europe Commanding General, tweeted: “Well done UK!”
He added: “This will give Ukraine capability to make Crimea untenable for Russian forces,” and would force a Russian rethink of where to position its Black Sea fleet.
If the Ukrainians start raining down cruise missiles on the naval base in Sevastopol, that might be enough to provoke Russia into using tactical nuclear weapons against Ukrainian targets.
And if the Russians start using their tactical nukes, the Biden administration has already strongly hinted that we are likely to use ours against Russian military assets.
Once we get to that stage, there will be no turning back.
For now, the Ukrainians continue to insist that they are on the verge of launching a very powerful “counteroffensive” which will turn the tide of the war…
Zelenskyy said in an interview broadcast Thursday by the BBC that it would be “unacceptable” to launch the assault now because too many lives would be lost.
“With (what we have) we can go forward and be successful,” Zelenskyy said in the interview, according to the BBC. “But we’d lose a lot of people. I think that’s unacceptable.”
Has the Ukrainian government been able to scrape together enough foreign mercenaries to make a new “counteroffensive” possible?
I am skeptical, but the weeks ahead will show us whether they are bluffing or not.
Meanwhile, it appears that we could be on the verge of witnessing a major conflict erupt in the Middle East.
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According to the Jerusalem Post, Islamic Jihad has fired more than 800 rockets into Israel, and the Israeli military has conducted more than 190 airstrikes in Gaza in response…
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad had fired 803 rockets into Israel between Wednesday morning and 8 p.m. on Thursday evening, and the IDF had undertaken 191 airstrikes in Gaza in the same timeframe.
The IDF killed Islamic Jihad rocket commander Ali Ghali around 1:00 a.m. early Thursday, and his deputy, Ahmed Abu Daka, around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday.
This is a huge test for the Netanyahu government.
If the IDF response to these attacks is deemed too weak, Netanyahu will lose a lot of public support.
But if the IDF response is too strong, a major regional war could potentially be sparked.
At this moment, the Israelis are promising that “the campaign will continue as long as necessary”…
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Gallant stated that “the campaign will continue as long as necessary,” after a sitatuation assessment following the rocket strike on Rehovot that killed one man and wounded 10 people.
They further instructed the security forces to “continue to exact a heavy price from the Islamic Jihad for its aggression against the citizens of Israel,” the Prime Minister’s office announced.
Let us hope that a ceasefire can be brokered quickly.
Because if the Israelis send troops into Gaza, everything will change.
Before I end this article, there is one more thing that I wanted to mention.
As we draw closer to a war with China, some leaders in Washington are suggesting that we should actually blow up the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company after an invasion happens in order to keep it from falling into Chinese hands…
Taiwan’s defense minister in statements early this week pushed back against the idea of the US bombing the island’s semiconductor factories in the event of a Chinese invasion.
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) recently said the US should “make it very clear to the Chinese that if you invade Taiwan, we’re going to blow up TSMC,” referring to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, which produces the majority of the world’s advanced semiconductors.
When asked about Moutlon’s comments, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said the military wouldn’t let that happen.
This just shows how dramatically our relationship with China has deteriorated.
At one time, it would have been unthinkable for a member of Congress to say such a thing.
But now many of our politicians are openly acknowledging that war with China is coming sooner or later.
So let me try to summarize what we are facing.
We are already involved in a proxy war with Russia which could soon turn into a shooting war, a major regional conflict in the Middle East could erupt at any moment, and our politicians are publicly talking about a coming war with China.
Yeah, I think that we are definitely in a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, but most of us in the western world are still completely and utterly clueless.
Most people that live in the western world still believe that our leaders are competent and that they have everything under control. Unfortunately, by the time they realize the truth it will be far too late to reverse course.
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.
Either, the West is going to help the Ukrainians or we aren’t. Why should Russia be off limits to Zelenski , Ukraine isn’t off limits to Russia. Name me one place in Ukraine that Russia has restrained itself. They are murdering old people and children and it is not collateral damage These half-assed wars are a sure way to never win. Had Biden a working neuron in his head he would have warned Russia to not start a “special military action.” Were I Zelenski I would have already done a “Timothy McVeigh” on the Kremlin to let that sorry POS know that I meant business and that I would fight to the last soldier standing including myself. They talk about war crimes, Bravo-Sierra, war is a crime of the severest type. I hope to see the day that Pootie is hung before the people. He deserves no less.