Everyone considers the Middle East and Eastern European conflicts “permanent.” However, if the Arab-Israeli confrontation does not require proof of its longevity, the Russo-Ukrainian one is worth examining.
The ongoing shooting war between Russia and Ukraine approaches its second anniversary. Nevertheless, it is viewed as simply a logical continuation of the deadly struggle between European civilization and the medieval armies of Tartars/Mongols from the Far East, known as Orda (sometimes called Golden Horde). That fight continued for centuries; in the process, the Orda established many vassal political entities. Some subordinates even survived until the present. For example, Russia is one of the remnants of the Orda (the name itself is hijacked from the term “Kievan Rus,” the original name for the country nowadays called “Ukraine”).
The origins of the Middle East and East European strife differ but there is a lot of focus on their histories as a solution. Yet they remain intractible.
The reason is simple—all previous attempts to “solve” these disputes utilizing the historical narrative have failed spectacularly.
Why not concentrate exclusively on the current state of affairs instead? Of course, from such a point of view, any potential remedy will probably be considered unfair by one or both parties, but it could be “the solution.”
Note that both feuds have one intriguing characteristic. On one side of the barricades are hydrocarbon-rich countries (Muslim states and Russia) and, on the other side, countries deprived of hydrocarbon riches (Israel and Ukraine). Moreover, the Ortho-Muslim side repeatedly weaponizes hydrocarbons to achieve their geopolitical goals.
If Donald Trump manages to become Trump-47, he could laser focus on that clear distinction and implement an attractive (but certainly not “optimal” or “fair”) enduring panacea to these “perpetual” squabbles.
During phase one, Trump could deploy the Ortho-Muslim hydrocarbon arsenal against them and drown the world in hydrocarbons.
The United States has such a vast supply of natural gas and oil that removing some government regulations can bring an abundance of reliable hydrocarbons to the world market. A decade or so of inexpensive American oil and gas will bankrupt the Ortho-Muslim producers.
For phase two, Trump would direct phase one profits to create the New Manhattan Project—not for nuclear fission (atomic bomb) but for nuclear fusion.
The success of such an endeavor is highly possible. It is not guaranteed, but today’s nuclear fusion knowledge is exponentially greater than understanding nuclear reactions at the beginning of the WWII-era Manhattan Project. Nuclear fusion already exists in nature—it lights up the stars. It is also used by humans (in an uncontrolled, wild form) in hydrogen bombs.
Taming nuclear fusion energy is the right task for Trump-47. The project’s astronomic scale corresponds to Trump’s construction, governance, and ambition caliber. Successful completion would achieve the desired planet-wide paradigm shift. Post-fusion, hydrocarbons will still be in demand but in microscopic quantities compared to today. It is known that most of the petro-dictators have wasted enormous hydrocarbon profits. Consequently, they will face a thorny dilemma: elementary physical survival or continued terrorism sponsorship.
The described two-phase approach would starve the imperialistic ambitions of petro-terror nations.
There is no escape; the new paradigm is that they cannot negotiate any settlement. A mere announcement of a Trump-magnitude fusion project would turn arrogant petro-theocracies increasingly polite, concessive, and cooperative.
Ortho-Muslim states could not appeal to the United Nations or the Davos clique to stop dirt-cheap and clean fusion energy flow. Even China will abandon them.
Russia, which lost a significant part of its industrial base in the post-Soviet years, will enjoy cold Siberian forests. Middle Eastern petro-kingdoms will continue to delight in hot sand. None of them would have the stomach or resources to attack their neighbors.
From that perspective, Islam (and the Russian version of Orthodox Christianity to some degree) would finally enter the epoch of the much-wanted Reformation.
In that, Islam would follow Western Christianity and Judaism, which have done it and brought them up to speed of civilization.
The outlined proposal is more practical than the unnecessary visits of political celebrities to Israel or the non-stop pilgrimage of Western dignitaries to Ukraine. Israel and Ukraine do not need VIP visitors. They do not need extra armaments per se. They need Donald Trump to solve the problem once and for all.
The late Soviet dissident and political prisoner Vladimir Bukovsky said, “I am prepared to make the following bet: If two cruise missiles were to be launched at Lubyanka [the KGB headquarters in Moscow], then the level of terrorism worldwide would drop by approximately 80 percent.”
Did he speak figuratively and really mean the two phases above? If so, genuine American dissident Donald Trump—unjustly prosecuted like Bukovsky—is the one who can cut through multiple Gordian knots.
Gary Gindler, Ph.D., is a conservative columnist at Gary Gindler Chronicles and a new science founder: Politiphysics. Follow him on Twitter/X.
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.