Another good word for phyle is tribe, because that which binds the people in that description is common culture. The key in my mind is whether or not the overall culture in that tribe or phyle is based on lasting principles: encouraging freedom, trade, property rights, etc. A culture which is based on victimhood, parasitism, elitism, etc. won't have the power to survive except by waging war on other tribes.

Now the author asserts that nanotech will be the next "gunpowder." The problem with this is that the tooling necessary for nanotech is incredibly specialized and reliant upon a massive chain of specialized materials and production methods - all of which will break down in any kind of larger societal breakdown which would lead to tribes. I've got to be honest here, but I think the ability to manufacture gunpowder will actually be crucial to the self-defense of any given tribe!

"governments increasing inability to provide the services that people expect from them"

This is tilting at windmills, because he implies that some other method or implementation will succeed where current government has failed. The problem is that the "expected" services are unreasonable in the first place. Examples include universal healthcare, universal education, guaranteed basic income, etc. Actually, what will happen is that the collapse of the economy will be a direct result of government bankrupting the very nations they once ruled. The real question will be what replaces that, and this is where the one world government types hope to capitalize upon.

I do agree with the author that the real military danger spawns from Islam. Sun Tzu is very clear and accurate when he notes that the will to make war is critical. The indoctrination engaged in by followers of Islam on their own people include a militancy unmatched anywhere else in the world. They not only believe in their ideology, but feel justified in killing others in order to impose it on them as well. Ultimately, there will have to be a world-wide reckoning regarding the Islamic belief system: it will either conquer the world or be expunged as incompatible with the freedom of the human soul.

The author also correctly points out that there are different methods of warfare. The United States has focused on a type of warfare that seeks to degrade or destroy an opponent's ability to manufacture the materials of war, but effectively muzzles itself from killing people. Islam's primary method of warfare is people which is why our efforts in such places as Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. have gone so poorly. Islam will only effectively be eliminated by changing the hearts and minds of the people to realize Islam's own infeasibility. And, unfortunately, it will mean eliminating the zealots who refuse to be persuaded through reason.

(Interestingly enough, the parallels here in the Old Testament hold military truth: even though Israel was criticized for obliterating certain cities, they were assured that afterward there was no one to commit rebellion or guerilla warfare.)

Absolutely agree. Prepping means independence as much as possible. Bitcoin requires a connection to a controlled infrastructure. For me, prepping means physical means of trade.