(WND)—Despite the brutality of the Oct. 7 surprise attack into Israel, claiming the lives of 1,200 of its citizens, pro-Hamas groups in the U.S. clamor for Israel to end the war. As Americans, these protesters refuse to walk a mile in the shoes of the Israelis, embracing the emotions they have suffered by the loss of so many loved ones. These protesters ignore our own history and the emotions similarly triggered by the Dec. 7, 1941, surprise attack by Japan on Pearl Harbor. Claiming 2,403 American lives, that attack unified our country and embedded within us a resolve to totally defeat the Japanese.
Pearl Harbor claimed .002% of our 1941 population; the Oct. 7 Hamas raid claimed .01% of Israel’s. Comparatively speaking, this is the equivalent of a 500% greater impact upon Israel. Additionally, only 68 civilians lost their lives at Pearl Harbor – the consequence of Japanese pilots primarily targeting military assets; however, in Israel, the vast majority of losses were civilian as that was Hamas’ primary target.
America’s response to Japan’s surprise attack was not immediate as we had much to do before taking the war to the enemy. Comparatively, Israel’s response was much faster as it had the wherewithal to quickly respond and take the war to Hamas. But, by late 1945, Japan learned – as Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto who led the Pearl Harbor attack feared in attacking the U.S. – it had awoken a sleeping tiger.
In July 1945, at the Potsdam Conference, the U.S. and its allies demanded Japan surrender unconditionally. The demand came from a position of power, placing blame on Japan’s military advisers for bringing the country to the “threshold of annihilation.” Setting forth the terms of unconditional surrender, the demand hoped Japan’s leadership would now “follow the path of reason.” It ended with the warning of Japan’s “prompt and utter destruction” if it refused the Allies’ terms.
Interestingly, Japan’s leadership had been meeting to discuss a peace proposal. They were worried that after numerous battlefield defeats, starvation of the people and the firebombing of its cities, its citizenry was on the brink of revolution.
But, as a response was not forthcoming from Tokyo, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima (Aug. 6) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9). That did trigger an Aug. 10 response offering a conditional surrender. This was rejected by President Harry Truman who felt, based on the sacrifices Americans had made to claim victory, it had to be a total victory. On Sept. 2, 1945, Japan finally executed an unconditional surrender agreement.
It is interesting that pro-Hamas groups in the U.S. have failed to date to protest Hamas for making no effort to negotiate a total surrender. Hamas has been silent despite the fact that the Palestinian people and low-level Hamas recruits in Gaza have taken a beating.
Both the Israeli leadership and the Israeli people have made it clear nothing will derail them in their journey to destroy Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently stated, “Israel under my leadership will not compromise on less than total victory over Hamas” – a standard that was perfectly acceptable by the international community for Japan 79 years earlier.
A decision the Israeli leadership must make quickly is whether the top priority is to destroy Hamas or gain freedom for its hostages. In a recent poll, the vast majority of Israelis were opposed to withdrawing IDF forces from Gaza to obtain the release of the hostages. An amazing 70.5% responded in the negative about withdrawing first while 18.5% responded positively to doing so to get them back. This shows not only a warranted distrust of Hamas but a commitment to stay the course.
Nonetheless, Israel proposed a release of the remaining 136 hostages. The Israeli Cabinet approved a two-month ceasefire in exchange for a staged release (based on age, sex, medical need, etc.).
But the poll results underscore Netanyahu’s earlier vow that Israel will never repeat the mistake it did with the Oslo Accords. In that 1993 “peace” deal, Israel surrendered control of Gaza and portions of Judea and Samaria in exchange for nothing. Thus, any negotiation for a Palestinian terror state remaining is a non-starter.
Most recently, with reality setting in for Hamas, forcing it to drop its demand for a permanent ceasefire, it informed mediators it was open to releasing some hostages for a pause in the fighting.
Serious negotiations by Hamas to end the war may be due in large part because – unlike the Japanese leadership that saw firsthand the hardship their people were experiencing – its leadership lives a life of luxury in places like Qatar, counting the billions of dollars meant for Palestinian assistance with which they have absconded. They also gleefully continue counting Palestinian deaths, knowing it fuels the fires of global antisemitism.
There was a report the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, keeping safe in Qatar, may be interested in serious peace negotiations. If so, this would not be due to increasing Palestinian deaths but, rather, due to mass surrenders by his fighters. He undoubtedly worries those who are supposed to sacrifice their lives for Allah may be undermining the terrorist group’s cause by surrendering (as if its leadership already was not doing enough by enjoying a lavish and safe lifestyle).
Israel knows what is needed to achieve total victory – and that it is not there yet. Reportedly, fewer than 30% of the Hamas fighting force has been eradicated. Some Israeli leaders noted that what Hamas needs to claim victory is a peace agreement allowing it to survive in any capacity to govern all or part of Gaza. But these Israeli leaders added, “The survival of Hamas in power would severely damage Israel’s deterrence and its regional standing, which could bring more military conflicts and thwart future normalization agreements. Therefore, it must be ensured that under any endgame scenario, Hamas will not have the ability to govern. …” This is why Netanyahu firmly rejected a recent Hamas proposal that would leave it intact.
In May of 2020, during his presidential campaign, Joe Biden told a black radio host that black voters who were torn between voting for him or President Donald Trump “ain’t black.” The comment ignited a firestorm of criticism, causing him to later apologize. While Biden’s comment was in poor taste, a much more palatable observation is that U.S. citizens supporting Hamas “ain’t American.”
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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.