Let me lay out the perfect storm for you to ponder while having that first cup of coffee. The point of this exercise is a projection of possibilities that can end in a worst case scenario; setting the stage for an important question.
I usually close my articles with a question to ponder, but this time I will put the question at the beginning so you can think of it as your read. Given the moral decay and general lack of principles exhibited lately, upon what will our country fall back on when things get really tough?
In reading that question, you will note my belief that we have not yet experienced the worst of our problems. Here is a possible perfect storm to consider:
- The financial crisis in Europe will continue to degrade to the point of total collapses of economies. As European economies collapse, the social chaos that ensues will topple governments, militaries, and local law enforcement; leaving entire countries exposed to both internal and external threats.
- The European collapse will result in additional economic pressures to the already weakened US economy. Fear and uncertainty will collapse retail sales, hiring, and business expansions as both businesses and consumers move to full survival mode.
- Iran and its allies will capitalize on the opportunity presented by a weakened NATO and will initiate attacks against Israel, NATO forces in Europe, and American forces and interests in the region. Oil supplies to Europe and the US will be restricted to further capitalize on economic weaknesses, and the errors of our energy policies will become tools of the enemy. World War III will have been initiated.
- Terror cells within Europe and other Western countries will activate to further destabilize social order and economic activity. Decades of lax immigration and security policies will swamp US law enforcement as tens of thousands of terrorists simultaneously attack our domestic infrastructure and first responder capabilities.
- Russia and China seize the moment of weakness and move to destroy their common foe of America. Combined cyber attacks against our government and infrastructure end with several EMP blasts that completely isolate communities; insuring complete societal breakdown within the US borders.
- Europe falls without American support, Islamists complete their imposition of a Caliphate throughout the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Southern Europe, Russia expands their power throughout the Balkans and Northern Europe, and China solidifies its power in the Pacific and South America.
- The world and America has changed forever.
I started by saying this is the perfect storm to be considered. All of the scenarios listed that would trigger this chain of events are real and currently in motion. The potential for the follow up attacks are real and waiting. The motivations of our enemies are known. And the internal threats within our borders exist now.
Will it come together as I laid out above? Probably not, but it is certainly possible. My point is to set the stage for the question I want you to consider, and not predict exact scenarios.
First, stop and consider a few minor trends that we have pointed out here; flash mobs attacking citizens and businesses, jubilation on the faces of youth as they attack innocent travelers, moral degradation and lack of respect shown in the Occupy movement, unwillingness or inability of authority to control protesters, lack of political will and leadership, political correctness that instills fear into anyone willing to point out the motives of others, and attacks on religions that stress moral absolutes.
Now, let’s go back and review my question that was posed in the second paragraph. On what will we fall back on when things really get tough? If only a portion of my perfect storm scenario comes to pass, our citizens will be faced with a situation that most are completely unprepared to face. Lack of employment, money, food and water, and security are only a few of the problems to be dealt with; and frankly, those are the easy ones to solve.
The missing pieces to preventing a total collapse are the ones that others have worked for decades to strip from us as individuals and as a Nation. Faith, family structure, self reliance, morals, ethics, principals, trust, pride, judgment, compassion, charity; put them in whatever order fits your priorities. All of the important traits have been marginalized while policies that weaken us have been championed.
Things will get tougher in the future; surviving the challenges will ultimately depend on us working together towards a common goal. Do you see that as a possibility given where we stand as a today as country? I did not think so.
Find the pieces lacking in your life and community and take steps to strengthen them before we are tested. Otherwise, replay videos of Black Friday shopping melees to gain a glimpse of your future if the perfect storm ever hits our shores.
by Jack Woodward 11/27/11
