Train on!

We are the Brink of a 1,000 Year War; Are you Trained and Ready?

The only thing that matters is how you address the violence in that moment – for your sake and potentially for the sake of others around you.

That’s why so many like-minded people train in Krav Maga. I understand it can be an outstanding workout, but in the end, without the tactics and tools to survive, a workout alone won’t help to resolve the violence. And, ironically, the only sure means of resolving a situation that has devolved into violence is to bring your own well-conceived and often-trained brand of violence.

Once violence starts, all negotiation and compromise is lost. There is simply violence. It seems the best means for beating violence on an interpersonal level is to be good at violence. As the samurai once chanted, “The killing sword is the life-giving sword.”

In the wake of the recent terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, I’d like to point out that terror attacks happen after the war of ideas is lost. The truth is virtually all terror attacks are driven by ideology, and in many cases (36 countries with ties to pervasive, extremist rhetoric), the war of ideas simply cannot be fought or won (as the access to information is actively blocked). In these cases, I’m sad to report I see the makings of a 1,000-year war – violence brought by people primarily without access to information and/or disaffected people so angry about life that they simply immerse themselves in hate (self radicalization).

In any case, we are now standing at the razor’s edge of a dangerous tipping point – radical jihad and other forms of violent, homegrown protests are being left unchecked. With powerful and easy-to-access tools like Facebook, and YouTube, radical and violent actors are urging disaffected people to kill you and me. And without the tools to fight and win the war of ideas, we’re left with a war of unpredictable, sporadic violence.

Unfortunately, policy makers continue to fail to understand the amebic-like nature of the threat facing western culture. Each terror attack should be seen as an extension of a credible, foreign enemy with a host of undercover agents operating among us. ISIS should be seen as the Soviet Union was seen during the cold war – with one important distinction, modern tools and technology have created massive flexibility in how extremist groups like ISIS recruit and operate.

For you and me, the issue can become much more personal. If you’ve ever stared down the barrel of gun, you know that this is a personal issue – one that can only be solved live and in-person. In the article, The Truth About Gun Violence, I asked a simple question and a relevant one in this line of thinking:

Could a small handful of armed citizens succeed in thwarting violence and terrorism where the hundreds of billions of dollars western governments spend on intelligence, surveillance, and counter-terrorism occasionally fail?

The answer is a resounding affirmative.

The signs and trends indicate it’s going to be a long war. So, keep training. Work hard. Prepare yourself. Recognize violence can occur and confront violence when it finds you.

In short, train on!