1 - Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Everything's Bigger in Texas
Even the Crazy!
Pentagon: No Texas takeover plot
By Barbara Starr, CNN Pentagon Correspondent
Updated 3:55 AM ET, Tue May 5, 2015
Amid unfounded, Internet-fueled rumors that U.S. Special Operations Forces might be trying to take over parts of the southwest, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas State Guard forces under his control to keep an eye on the U.S. military during a large upcoming training exercise.
The exercise is called Jade Helm 15.
"It is important that Texans know their safety, constitutional rights, private property rights and civil liberties will not be infringed," Abbott said in an April 28 letter to Major Gen. Gerald "Jake" Betty, commander of the guard.
Abbott ordered the guard to "monitor" the eight week-long exercise which begins in July and ends in September, across seven states. In Texas, Utah and New Mexico most of the training will take place on private land. In Arizona, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, much of it will take place on military installations.
Some of the concerns are fueled by Internet posting of a map said to be made up for the exercise which shows Texas in bright red and lists it as "hostile" territory. The scenario for the exercise is that U.S. special operations forces travel to another continent which includes hostile nations and work with rebel underground freedom fighters there.
The question for many is do Americans need to have their civil liberties protected from involvement by the U.S. military. U.S. military officials tell CNN they welcome the state guard working with them to coordinate the exercise operations in Texas, but that one sentence in the governor's letter is without foundation.
On Monday, Abbott told reporters the guard simply will gather information, monitor the exercise and report to him about what is going on. Abbott said he has been "provided assurances," by the Defense Department that "there is nothing for the public to worry about."
Sen. Ted Cruz said he also has asked the Pentagon what's going on, and has been told everything is fine. But the Republican presidential candidate also indicated he understands why people may be concerned: persistent mistrust of the federal government.
Many on the Internet are convinced something is about to happen. Several websites are expressing the worries of some residents of Bastrop County, Texas, that the exercise is going to lead to a military takeover, something Pentagon officials adamantly deny.
"Jade Helm is a long planned and coordinated exercise," Pentagon spokesman, Col. Steve Warren said. "We are not taking over anything."
But that's not stopping websites like the Oath Keepers' which says, "The Internet is abuzz with speculation these exercises are not designed to prepare U.S. troops for overseas operations, but are actually designed to prepare U.S. troops for aggressive operations against American citizenry."
Others says the military is testing the loyalty of local communities. During the exercise some of the troops will be in civilian clothes, move in civilians vehicles and carry weapons with blank ammunition. But there will be exercise monitors at all times.
Special Operations Forces officials told CNN troops often train in local areas in the U.S. with the permission of public and private landowners because it provide a realistic environment for overseas operations. And the training scenarios are made as realistic as possible with "friendly" and "enemy" territory. But in a statement explaining Jade Helm, the U.S. Army Special Operations Command said, "The size and scope of Jade Helm sets this one apart."
There will be about 1,200 troops in Jade Helm, mainly Army Green Berets, but also a small group of Navy SEALS and Air Force special operations troops as well as conventional Army infantry.
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- Rongone
- Sentient Being
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
Takeover ? ? ?
I thought we were trying to give it away.
- tennyson
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
The fools at night, are all affright,
clap clap clap clap
Deep in the heart of Texas !
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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Thread Starter- Rongone
- Sentient Being
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
It must be true. Even Chuck Norris says so . . . And he should know . . . He played a special forces guy in movies . . . And a Texas Ranger on TV. What more informed source do you need? (winking)
He commented on the Jade Helm exercise in an article for military.com
Chuck Norris Warns that US Special Forces is a Threat to Texans
Chuck Norris pins decoration
Actor and karate king Chuck Norris is adding himself to the list of skeptics questioning whether a U.S. Special Forces exercise is a government ruse to impose martial law over several states including Texas.
"The U.S. government says, 'It's just a training exercise.' But I'm not sure the term 'just' has any reference to reality when the government uses it," said Norris, who said Texas Gov. Greg Abbot was right to order his Texas State Guard monitor the exercise in Texas to ensure civil rights are protected.
This is the second time Norris has weighed in on controversial national security debates. Norris threw his support behind the A-10 Thunderbolt and criticized the Air Force for pushing to retire the aircraft.
Norris gained his celebrity status after leveraging his championship karate skills into an acting career when Hollywood jumped into the Kung Fu craze of the 1970s and '80s. Norris had previously served in the Air Force. He took up martial arts as an airman stationed in South Korea.
He made numerous movies in which he played a soldier, including the "Missing in Action" trilogy, about an Army colonel who returns to Vietnam to rescue American prisoners of war who had been left behind.
In 2007, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway made Norris an honorary Marine. A few years later, after several seasons playing the lead role on the TV series, "Walker: Texas Ranger," Texas Gov. Rick Perry made Norris an Honorary Texas Ranger.
U.S. Army Special Operations Command said there is nothing unusual about Jade Helm, though the scope of the event sets it apart for skeptics.
"To stay ahead of the environmental challenges faced overseas, Jade Helm will take place across seven states," officials wrote on the exercise's website. "However, Army Special Operations Forces will only train in five states: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado. The diverse terrain in these states replicates areas Special Operations soldiers regularly find themselves operating in overseas."
Abbot's ordering the Guard to monitor the exercise has fanned the flames of citizens who believe the operation is part of a plan to impose martial law on the country.
Jon Stewart, host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central, poked fun at the spreading rumor with quick TV clips of newscasters throwing about the term "Texas Takeover."
"You know who calls it a 'Texas Takeover?' Lone Star lunatics," he quipped.
Stewart also noted that when the Army, Marine Corps and Air Force held Operation Roaming Sands in Texas in 2005 -- at the time the largest exercise in the state's history -- there were no concerns about the event being a move to impose martial law.
"I don't' know what's changed since then," he said, as a picture of President Obama appeared on screen. "Oh, right…"
Norris, in his column for World Net Daily, said "Concerned Texans and Americans are in no way calling into question our brave and courageous men and women in uniform. They are merely following orders. What's under question are those who are pulling the strings at the top of Jade Helm 15 back in Washington.," he wrote.
On the eve of the November 2012 elections Norris and his wife, Gena, went on television to tell voters that "Our great country and freedom are under attack … [and] could be lost forever if we don't change the course our country is headed."
Obama's re-election, Gena Norris added, will be "the first step into 1,000 years of darkness."
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
So, let me get this straight.
People like this:
Some of whom are from Texas itself, who have been lionized as heroes by the right - most famously in the movie American Sniper - are now a danger to the freedom of Texas?
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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Thread Starter- Conspiracy Theory
- Dark Overlord
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
Apparently bigger applies to buffoons too.
If you make yourself miserable trying to make others happy that means everyone is miserable.
-Me again
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- Common Sense
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
It’s not Chris Kyle they are concerned with it’s people like this:
The people have great concern about the mindless and faceless (we know this face!) bureaucrat’s that control the federal government/ military goals and missions.
That follows without question the Obama agenda!
Chris Kyle is a son of Texas and never was a threat to Texas.
Note: On February 2, 2013, Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range near [url=,_Texas]Chalk Mountain, Texas[/url], with his friend, Chad Littlefield. The man accused of killing them, Eddie Ray Routh, was found guilty of both murders and later sentenced to life in prison without parole.[9]
Last edited by Common Sense (5/07/2015 1:41 pm)
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,” former vice president Biden said during a campaign event in Texas on Monday. "All men and women created by — you know, you know, the thing.”
- Rongone
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
Common Sense wrote:
It’s not Chris Kyle they are concerned with it’s people like this:
The people have great concern about the mindless and faceless (we know this face!) bureaucrat’s that control the federal government/ military goals and missions.
That follows without question the Obama agenda!
Is that what Gena Norris looks like?
I always wondered what kind of woman would marry a guy like Chuck.
- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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Re: Everything's Bigger in Texas
It’s not Chris Kyle they are concerned with it’s people like this:
The people have great concern about the mindless and faceless (we know this face!) bureaucrat’s that control the federal government/ military goals and missions.
That follows without question the Obama agenda!
Chris Kyle is a son of Texas and never was a threat to Texas.
Note: On February 2, 2013, Kyle was shot and killed at a shooting range near [url=,_Texas]Chalk Mountain, Texas[/url], with his friend, Chad Littlefield. The man accused of killing them, Eddie Ray Routh, was found guilty of both murders and later sentenced to life in prison without parole.[9]
Common, do you find such fears credible? Do you believe that taking over Texas with special forces is part of the "Obama Agenda"?
Is Obama "a threat to Texas"?
Are other special forces soldiers and sailors who are not sons of Texas (Perhaps sons of Massachusetts) a threat to Texas?
Do you think that there is any chance that these exercises, carried out by our heroes, are really a ruse to declare martial law in Texas?
Please, I want you to answer. You opened a real can of worms here, and I think you owe to all of us to stick around and splain it.
I mean, why would the feds want to take over Texas? It's peaceful, prosperous,,,,,,,,, and already part of the United States.
Frankly, I think that too many politicians have made their political fortunes by playing on the fears of the uneducated, under informed, and not too bright.
The downside for them is that they have no choice to keep upping the fear ante until eventually they jump the shark.
This is crazy. Some poor soldier is gonna get shot buying a soda in a convenience store by some frightened nut. 
BTW, how does one complain about "faceless beaucrats", and then post,,,,well, a face?
Last edited by Goose (5/07/2015 4:04 pm)
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
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Thread Starter