Preparation for war

I think there is probably more than a little cause for concern - governments don't waste precious money on testing phone alarms and educating people about being prepared without good reason. However, no matter how well individual households prepare, there are going to be surprises we hadn't even thought about (and this time I think it'll be more serious than a scarcity of lavatory paper! It makes sense to have enough basic supplies to fall back on but, unless we own a self-sufficient smallholding (or have already been preparing for several years), we're not likely to have enough goods (or survival knowledge) to last more than a season or two. When it all runs out, the really nasty stuff will hit the fan. I have no confidence in the Russians to depose Putin and, like Trump and a couple of other world leaders, he's not going to desist until he conks out, one way or another. I think we have a doughty reckoning coming and we've been too soft for too long to be able to cope well. Sometimes I'm really glad to be the age I am; it's the generations coming up behind us I feel sorry for.

This is a very informative piece from a serious preper.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0031k0m

Excuse my ignorance, but how do we know that if there is a cyber attack(s), the disruption will last for a few days? Even if it’s short-lived, it could be absolute panic/chaos/disruption etc etc on a major scale which is exactly what is intended by Putin. How do we know that things will then gradually return to normal after a few days? Is this El Niño weather effect we’re being informed to “expect” at some point actually war/cyber attack and not a weather phenomenon? Is that why we’re been advised to stock up? The whole thing is terrifying. I have children and grandchildren - as many of you will have - and I’m living in fear for the whole family and indeed for all of us.

I think the idea is that if we’ve all made arrangements to survive for a few days, the authorities can concentrate on getting things moving rather than having to get supplies to the unprepared.

I understand your fear, and share it to an extent, but at the same time I think it makes sense to prepare for less worrying possibilities, such as storms causing power cuts, or Covid preventing us (as individuals) from being able to leave the house for a while. Hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

I wish everyone would calm down

No one here is getting wound up about it. We are just facing up to the new reality: that in the modern age of computers and AI, unless you want to physically take over or control a very specific area of land, war between developed nations, North America, Europe, many countries bordering the Pacific basin will be fought online and by sabotage and subversion.

The aim will be to gain mastery over other states without a physical invasion. Yes, Russia wants to occupy and rebuild 'old' Russia, but he does not want to do what Hitler and Napoleon tried to do, and actually physically occupy all of Europe or America, but he wants to be top dog., as Trump does, but he is already running Trump and fomenting the break-up of American society into divisive groups. he is now trying to do the same in Europe.

Trump is trying to do the same thing in the Middle East in his war on Iran, but Putin is being successful, Trump is just going in deeper and deeper and in the end it will destroy him.

monica I meant the world 😊

Not us sensible personages.

I've had a stash of revolving perishables since Brexit when we were told how badly that would affect our food imports. Then, again during lockdown. I've upped it recently apropos of government guidance. Yes! hope for the best, prepare for the worst. My research tells me that tinned food can be eaten way after the prescribed sell by dates, because apart from the occasional tin of baked beans and tuna and using chick peas, kidney beans and tinned tomatoes in recipes, I can't say I'd choose to eat tinned food alone, it's like a nuclear deterrent rationale, it may be necessary but we don't want to use it. I never quite know how far to go with these warnings, I've also got a good supply of bottled water; Too much focus on toilet rolls, they'd be the least of our worries. So do we keep adding more, because stocks would of course dwindle if any crisis went on too long.

I think I worry the most about the younger generations and the state of the world, when I voice this to my husband his mantra tends to be "it's always been this way" The Cold War, The Cuban Missile Crisis, all of that kind of went over my head at the time I was still in junior school. Just as well really! There's much more to deal with now for a younger generation, in the advancements of technology and how those could be used by hostile states to undermine stability. I agree with others, possibly what's coming down the line won't be like the previous world wars, although of course there are flash points in the world where armed combat takes place. I think we may expect Putin to cut our power lines and wreak havoc that way. We, as a country since the time of Cameron have been very complacent in running down our armed forces and defense spending. Still! our defense budget is nothing near where it should be anyone would think we live in a benign world, and we have a reasonable Gorbachev type Russian leader in the Kremlin when we had that brief hiatus of good relations between Russia and the west, but now not only do we have a meglomaniac there but now in the White House too. Previously at least there was some sort of facade of a steadying hand from the US, even if subliminally they were all over interfering in out countries politics. I also think it will only be a matter of time before Xi moves in on Taiwan. I think he's quietly sitting back and observing all the gigantic f**k ups the other world leaders are making and then make his move by stealth.

I understand that in Finland it is a legal requirement to have three days' worth of food, water and medicine 'just in case', and think that maybe we should move towards that here. I'm not suggesting that everyone should have to add £100 to their shopping bill, but if there were a date set by which everyone is expected to have at least a small box of contingency items, people could add to it by spending an extra couple of pounds a week.

The alternative is that in the event of an emergency those who haven't prepared will take up the time and resources of the government/forces, and there will be runs on supplies that have made it to the shops.

Obviously we can't have stocks that would last for years, but I think that aiming for being able to last a week or two without shopping is reasonable, and can be done a step at a time. I don't mean putting by enough for three square meals a day each, but a tin of tuna or a pouch of rice and beans a day would prevent starvation and would fit in a box or bag under the bed. Water is more difficult, of course, as it is bulky.

Not necessarily a war preparation, but in case of severe weather, illness or drought.

I remember during Covid there was a run on various objects. As soon as they announced shortage,whoosh, everyone rushed to the shops and made it come true by stockpiling. We were short of toilet paper at one stage and they limited people to 1 package! We were isolated for years in Victoria with our strange government. Even had helicopters checking we weren’t driving after dark. Disgusting and they got away with it. Don’t let these bs rule your lives !

And how many times during the cold war, in other words. our childhood, did we hear the same warnings?

Certainly, with Trump in the White House and Putin in the Kremlin war does seem quite close, but perhaps we should remember that despondancy kills!

By all means make hard copies of any and all vital documents you these days only have on your computer, make sure you have a good stock of tinned and dried food in the house, and remember to eat some it before its date stamp warns you it is too old and then replace it. If you do not already have fire extinguishers in your house and smoke alarms, a good first aid kit, a battery operated radio, and some good battery operated torches then get some.

If you want to do more, take a first aid refresher course, or brush up your Morse code and semiphore flags.

THEN STOP WORRYING!

In my experience, sell-by dates on long-life food is just a guide. Anything with a date years ahead of production is not going to be toxic six weeks after the date. It might not taste quite as good, but if you are hungry that's not going to matter.

Prepared as we can and not worrying.