My American Redoubt Doubts
I don’t remember the first I time heard the term “American Redoubt”. I do know that prior to its recent use, I doubt I ever gave much thought to redoubts and certainly didn’t hear the term used much. The word comes from the French “redoute” which refers to a small earthworks used as a temporary defensive position that wasn’t often hardened on all sides. Perhaps this was adequate enough for the French who have a history of retreating, but certainly not what most American survivalists would hope for as a retreat; then again, I still call croissants “crescent rolls”.
No doubt the use of the word “redoubt” is meant to convey the broader definition of the word as a stronghold or secure retreat. In a stricter sense, the American Redoubt is the defined region, chosen by some as a rally point for like-minded conservative, Christian, constitutional, survivalists to make a stand, relying on themselves and each other to uphold and preserve the values and traditions that are uniquely American in heritage. These goals are both admirable and clearly a necessity in today’s world given the troubling times we live in. It is clear that there is a cultural war being waged against Christians and the Constitution of the U.S.
I have given the subject of joining these Americans in the Redoubt, who share both my values and my concerns, a lot of thought.
Having spent some time in that region and learning more about the American Redoubt in general, I have some doubts about the region’s ability to offer long-term security, and I have developed questions about the concept of putting all your good eggs in one basket (so to speak).
The American Redoubt happens to be located in the area of the U.S. that falls under the “challenging to grow a tomato” region. It’s not that it can’t be done, but it is certainly not an easy task as in other regions. Soil quality, moisture regime, ground temperature, and average growing seasons for the region are all less than desirable for the homesteader.
Looking at the drought monitor ( http://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/ ), it is clear that over half of the American Redoubt is experiencing moderate to extreme drought conditions. This has been the case for the last twenty years, and there is no indication that water issues are going to be going away anytime soon. In fact, adding to the population of the area will only strain the shortages even more.
To further complicate matters, the region is also known for harsh winters, wildfires, few employment opportunities, and is riddled with elite liberals and Californians. It has been reported that Ted Turner owns over 150,000 acres of prime American Redoubt property.
Further, consider how easily a planned attack by either a domestic or foreign group with nuclear weapons could completely wipe out a region populated by a high concentration of people who stand against the new world order plan. I can imagine the headlines reading: “Mushroom Cloud Over American Redoubt; Christians Raptured in a Single Flash”. Of course, this could happen to any area, but few other locations in the U.S. would have the fallout from such an event rain down on such under-populated areas.
Short of a nuclear strike, it wouldn’t take much to shut down the surrounding infrastructure and effectively imprison everyone in the region by limiting their travel in and out. With the Canadian border to the north, seaports and leftists to the west, Federally-owned property to the south, and some of the roughest land features our great country has to offer to the east, you couldn’t ask for a better corral to march freedom-loving Americans into. In fact, this has already happened to the country’s first freedom lovers: the native American Indians.
There can be no doubt the Canadians stand with the NWO, just as the leftists on the Pacific coast do. The Federal lands to the south include some of the largest DOD bases and land holdings in the country, leaving the Dakotas to the east.
I will mention here that the “Badlands” represent a bit of Dakota humor. The truth of the matter is that all of the Dakotas are considered to be badlands. This has been confirmed to me by many native Dakotans, all of whom ended up relocating to somewhere else and, coincidentally, shared the same moniker “Dakota”. One good friend of mine made the mistake of buying a house in the Dakotas that faced the wrong direction. The relentless, frigid, winter winds had him digging out his driveway and car from eight-foot-deep snow drifts everyday throughout the winter.
During my own stay in Montana I learned that, once the winter’s ice took hold, you wouldn’t see the pavement again until late spring. I remember that snow chains were not needed too often since the dryness of the road ice tended to freeze the tires to the road, sort of slowing you down as you traveled along.
But, unfortunately the evil that men do is not the only issue where the American Redoubt is concerned. Mother Nature has her sights set on the region, as well. It seems that every month that goes by we get more news about the Yellowstone super volcano coming to life. Every map I have ever seen of the areas expected to experience catastrophic damage details more than half the geographic area known as the American Redoubt. Worse yet, the best scientists we have suggest a Yellowstone Super Volcano event is long overdue. Losing so many like-minded Americans would be a catastrophe to preserving our Constitution and reaching our goals.
( /earthquakes/2012/11/whats-going-on-at-yellowstone-2446778.html )
Even during the best of times, living in the region is a harsh existence and not for today’s average American. It is most definitely a tough and hardy bunch that makes it out there. They are, by their very nature, survivalists.
The region known as the American Redoubt may indeed be a good choice due to its remoteness, but there are basic considerations that suggest other regions may be a better choice.
The first consideration preppers should study, when choosing a region to settle in or bug-out to, is water. Water is life. Water is everything when it comes down to survival. Without water there can be no crops for food or to feed livestock with. Without water, there is no survival. Study the regions of the U.S. where drought has not been a problem and land is reasonably affordable, and you’ll discover that the Appalachians, Alleghenies, and Cumberland Mountains, as well as some other areas meet these criteria.
http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/thematic-maps/usa-precipitation.html
The next consideration, after finding the water, should be to study the regions’ growing seasons and soil qualities to determine what crops you’ll be able to reasonably grow for your survival.
Another prudent consideration might be to avoid known seismic fault lines, such as the New Madrid fault, coastal areas, and any active volcanos you happen upon.
Security from the threats of others comes from a combination of many factors including your own personal preparedness, mutual aid from like-minded friends and neighbors, and the security measures taken at your retreat. Any one region will not be immune from these threats.
Lastly, get moving and find your redoubt. There is no doubt that you will be able to find like-minded individuals wherever you end up choosing as your region. Once you’ve settled in, you can begin to meet them. Time is very short. I urge you to act quickly.
Copyright 2012, F.J. Bohan
If you would like to read more from F.J. Bohan, please check out my books available from Paladin Press. Living on the Edge: A Family’s Journey to Self-Sufficiency, and Barbed Wire, Barricades, and Bunkers: The Free Citizen’s Guide to Fortifying the Home Retreat.
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