World War Three Newsletter

The Human Side of the SE Asian TsunamisLate December 2004

The travesty currently unfolding on TV screens worldwide of the death and
destruction throughout SE Asia is truly tragic. However, the pure scale of
the devastation is almost too much for the average mind to comprehend. As
the number of lives lost is updated on an almost hourly basis, we tend to
become numbed by the barrage of statistics. Whether it's 60,000 lives lost,
or 80,000, or 100,000, our minds go into automatic protection mode and
(thanks to the style of reporting by media powerhouses) we don't think of
the long term consequences of a catastrophe like this. Even further from our
mind is how this tragedy could have any bearing on our sheltered lives.

Keep reading to see what lessons we can all learn from this catastrophe.

It was a mere 6 weeks ago that I was in the region. The beach on Phi Phi
Island, where I reclined while watching a nighttime fire and dance show, is
destroyed, along with most of the bungalows. Kata Beach, a beautiful
pristine beach on Phuket, where I enjoyed a thrilling morning of jet-skiing,
is no more. The remains of boats and jetski's are littered throughout hotel
lobbies. The Boathouse Hotel, where I enjoyed a sumptuous 7-course
degustation dinner, has been completely washed away. Theptaro Resort in Kao
Lak, the gateway to the Similan Islands, where I celebrated my birthday in
October, has been flooded. All the beaches are destroyed. The live-aboard
dive boat, on which I spent a 4-day dive trip around the Similan Islands,
has disappeared without a trace, together with the unfortunate souls onboard
at the time. A hotel swimming pool, at which I spent many hours at the
swim-up bar, is currently filled with beach sand, palm trees, destroyed
fishing boats and other debris. Many friends and associates have not been
contactable. For me, there is clearly a human side to the destruction
throughout SE Asia.

Thankfully, there is one miracle I'm aware of: a dear friend of mine, who
was working as a dive master in Kao Lak, boarded a plane which departed
Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, a mere 15 minutes before the
earthquake struck. The passengers were blissfully unaware of how close
they'd come to being trapped in the region until they were swamped with
reporters at London's Heathrow airport. I thank God that she was spared.
Here is a map which shows the earthquake's epicenter and resulting shock
waves: images.thetimes.co.uk. To date 11 countries have been affected, from
Thailand to the east coast of Africa.
Statistics of the quake which caused the tsunamis can be found here:
neic.usgs.gov
Not yet considered by the news networks is the long term economic impact on
the region. Thailand's tourism industry, which for the past few years has
helped reestablish the country's weak economy, is pretty much destroyed.
Islands which attract thousands of holiday makers each year will be avoided
for years to come, while a slow cleanup process continues. The previously
stunning coral reefs, which attract thousands of international divers
annually, have been obliterated. Coral takes many, many years to re-grow,
and fish will simply seek other reefs to breed and feed. The Similan
Islands, one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, have in an instant had
their status annihilated. The economic effect of these tsunamis will be felt
for many years to come, and a region already struggling economically has
been dealt a devastating blow.

Coincidence?

The destruction aside, there is a disturbing coincidence surrounding these
events.
Exactly 1 year ago, on December 26th, 2003, Iran was struck by a massive 6.6
earthquake which killed more than 30,000. At the time there was speculation
that the Iran quake may have been triggered by increased HAARP activity. See
the following articles for more details:

http://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk and

http://www.prisonplanet.com

While it's obviously too early to tell whether the same is true in the SE
Asian tragedy, the coincidence is just too eerie to ignore the possibility.
Rest assured that I will update you as soon as any reports along these lines
start surfacing.
At the very least, it appears the US may have had advance warning of the
tsunamis, and failed to sound the alarm. See

http://www.aljazeera.com.

What Lessons Can Be Learnt?

I started this email by saying that for those uninvolved in a major tragedy,
our minds protect us by removing any sense of personal connection to the
event. However, even though we may not be directly affected, there are still
important lessons to be learnt, the most important of which, is to be
prepared at all times.
No-one could have predicted the events in SE Asia. For all of the tourists
tragically involved, the thought of any impending calamity would have been
furthest from their mind. Instead, they basked in the sun, swam in the sea
and generally relaxed after a stressful year. Disaster strikes when one
least expects it. Generally speaking, only those who have developed a
survivalist mentality are capable of avoiding serious injury.
If we are to learn any personal lessons from these tsunamis, take note of
what issues survivors are faced with now: lack of food and water; the spread
of disease; blocked transport routes, including not being able to leave the
disaster area; inability to communicate when phone systems clog up or fail
completely; looting, and a sense of despair when help doesn't arrive quickly
enough.
I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that the world will experience an
even more tragic event before 2005 draws to a close. I wish that weren't the
case, but global events and conditions are quickly coming together such that
a world government can soon be implemented. One of the prerequisites for
such a government is widespread fear and panic, and what better way to cause
it than real or imagined natural disasters. Can you say 'The Day After
Tomorrow?'
I've prepared a detailed preparatory plan, which you can find at our Be
Prepared Section. Please read it. Study it with your family. Share it with
your friends. Stay prepared. Don't become a statistic in the next disaster.
Be safe until we next speak again.
Kind regards, Michael

How to Prepare

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