TX gov. orders state guard to monitor possible military takeover of Texas

[jimrtex]

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday asked the State Guard to monitor a U.S. military training exercise dubbed "Jade Helm 15" amid Internet-fueled suspicions that the war simulation is really a hostile military takeover.

The request comes a day after more than 200 people packed a meeting in rural Bastrop County and questioned a U.S. Army commander about whether the government was planning to confiscate guns or implement martial law. Bastrop County Judge Paul Pape said "conspiracy theorists" and "fear mongers" had been in a frenzy.

Bastrop County is suburban Austin.  Austin attracts odd people of all stripes - the city motto is "Keep Austin Weird".  The AAS was publicizing the meeting and had live coverage, so it was likely also on radio and TV.

In a true rural county everyone knows the sheriff and county judge and would see them and talk to them at the cafe across from the courthouse or at the DQ.  Most of the Texas locations are in fairly remote areas.

This was the presentation before the Big Spring city council.  Big Spring is one of the larger cities to be used in the exercise.

Jade Helm Presentation to Big Spring Texas City Council

The whole exercise depends on a combination of publicity and secrecy.  They have to be formally invited by the local government, and they have to coordinate with the police and sheriff, or somebody is going to get shot.  But if too much detail is revealed, it will draw spectators.

It is not totally clear what would happen if they were not invited into a city or county.  One area in Texas has been canceled.  How did they pick their targets?  If the police came and asked if they could use your house or apartment for a realistic drug training exercise, would you wonder how they chose you?

The presenter said that they were making contact with local law enforcement (police chiefs and sheriffs) and the Department of Public Safety.  Given how extensive the operation is in Texas, it makes sense to coordinate with the Texas State Guard as well, particularly given the proximity of Camp Swift to Bastrop.

[jimrtex]

The fact that he feels comfortable doing this politically means that a huge portion of the Texas electorate supports this type of stuff, which is terrifying.

He directed his adjutant general to monitor wide-spread operations over a 2-month period, in which military forces dressed as civilians will be sneaking about the countryside.

[jimrtex]

The fact that he feels comfortable doing this politically means that a huge portion of the Texas electorate supports this type of stuff, which is terrifying.

He directed his adjutant general to monitor wide-spread operations over a 2-month period, in which military forces dressed as civilians will be sneaking about the countryside.

Doesn't the military do things like this every year?

Not to this extent.    Ordinary troops wear uniforms, and train on federal land.

[jimrtex]

Aren't there a lot of Texans in the US military (at all levels)?

Supposedly that is why they chose Texas.  If you choose Texas because of its support for the military and overall patriotism, doesn't that imply that other areas weren't chosen because they don't support the military and are less patriotic?