(Zero Hedge)—Since Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on Israel on October 7 – and the resulting invasion of Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces shortly after to eradicate the terrorist group, the Biden administration has been scrambling to prevent a regional war from erupting during the US election cycle, all while the Federal Reserve is fighting the wicked inflation monster.
Deterring a regional war has been a significant challenge for the Biden administration and will likely require restraint on Israel’s part. The US’ latest bombing campaign against dozens of Iran-backed militia targets across Yemen, Iraq, and Syria has only made the situation worse. At the same time, Houthi rebels continue causing chaos at a critical maritime chokepoint in the southern Red Sea.
There has been an escalation in the Middle East crisis. Navigating this very uncertain macroeconomic climate as the post-1945 economic order fractures – is giving way to a dangerous multi-polar world.
David Asher, a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and former investigator into Covid origins at the State Department, recently penned a note titled “Navigating the New World Disorder: Economic Faultlines, Fissures, Fractures, and Failures.”
In this note, Asher points to a world that is in crisis, similar to the 1920s/30s.
On slide three, the macro strategist labels five “looming supply shocks” for the global economy.
He asks: “Is this the end of the long economic growth cycle that has existed since 1947 or “just” a return to the 1970s?”
While China’s economy struggles to recover, Asher asks another question: “Is Global Trade Recovering or Not?”
On slide nine, given the mounting risks in the Middle East. He said: “Global oil shock could trigger a crisis ala 2007-2008.”
He described a series of events that paint an awful gloomy outlook for the Middle East that have significant consequences for global markets.
Slide thirty is titled: “Iran is Preparing For Oil War: Markets Ignore Growing Risk.”
The next slide shows the US Navy needs to be better positioned in the Red Sea and Gulf area to respond to a major crisis. Not being prepared has been the theme so far with the failure of Biden’s Operation Prosperity Guardian to secure the critical Red Sea waterway.
Could Tehran use oil as an economic weapon against the West?
Consider the economic impacts of previous oil shocks…
This is where readers need to pay attention: Imagine the scenario where Yemen’s Houthi rebels start targeting key oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.
Remember 2019?
Should a repeat of 2019 occur, then Brent crude prices could surge.
And this would cause a massive headache for Jerome Powell’s inflation fight.
Given all this, are defense stocks a good buy?
The core theme of this note is America’s adversaries in the Middle East could weaponize energy to cause a financial shock. What is necessary for the US military is not just to be focused on the Red Sea chokepoint but also on Saudi’s energy infrastructure because crude prices could be one attack away from spiking over the $100 a barrel level.
There is good news: US crude production is at record highs. The bad news: radical climate change warriors in the White House have drained the SPR and crushed the ability to expand refining capacity.
A perfect storm of higher crude prices is brewing… All eyes on the Middle East.
Why One Survival Food Company Shines Above the Rest
Let’s be real. “Prepper Food” or “Survival Food” is generally awful. The vast majority of companies that push their cans, bags, or buckets desperately hope that their customers never try them and stick them in the closet or pantry instead. Why? Because if the first time they try them is after the crap hits the fan, they’ll be too shaken to call and complain about the quality.
It’s true. Most long-term storage food is made with the cheapest possible ingredients with limited taste and even less nutritional value. This is why they tout calories so much. Sure, they provide calories but does anyone really want to go into the apocalypse with food their family can’t stand?
This is what prompted the Llewellyns to launch Heaven’s Harvest. They bought survival food from multiple companies and determined they couldn’t imagine being stuck in an extended emergency with such low-quality food. They quickly discovered that freeze drying food for long-term storage doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor, consistency, or nutrition.
Their ingredients are all-American. In fact, they’re locally sourced and all-natural! This allows their products to be the highest quality on the market, so good that their customers often break open a bag in a pinch to eat because they want to, not just because they have to due to an emergency.
At Heaven’s Harvest, their only focus is amazing food. They don’t sell bugout bags, solar chargers, or multitools. They have one mission – feeding Americans in times of crisis.
What they DO offer is the ability for people to thrive in times of greatest need. On top of long-term storage food, they offer seeds to help Americans for the truly long-term. They want them to grow their own food if possible which is why they offer only Heirloom, Non-GMO, Non-Hybrid, Open-Pollinated seeds so their customers can build permanent food security on their own property.
