OPINION
Updated: 4/2/2015, 9:10 a.m.

But in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there.—The Prince, Nicolo Machiavelli CHAPTER V

Since the Daily Mail news story on Operation Jade Helm (PDF), the blogosphere has exploded with every possibility of conspiracy.

Concerns in the southwest are not totally unfounded; particularly in light of the Bundy Ranch episode last year on March 27. One communist web site, relying heavily on reports from the Southern Enriched-By-Taxpayer-Dollars Law Center, was stressed that the militia was actually doing what it is supposed to do. Stopping national government encroachment. The government-approved Federalist papers as, well as those Federalist Papers not so well-known, make that clear.

One can certainly question the premise of “Master the Human Domain.”

According to the Mail, the operation scheduled from July 15 to September 15 will feature:

• Operation Jade Helm will see 1,200 service members including Green Berets and SEALs and special forces from the Air Force and Marines in July
• Soldiers armed with blank rounds will operate in and around towns in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah and Colorado for 8 weeks
• The so-called Realistic Military Training has some residents fearful the drill is a preparation for martial law

The premise of this operation is that Texas has been invaded by a “hostile force” and has to be retaken.

Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lastoria denounced this as a prelude to martial law in Stars and Stripes.

Army Lt. Col. Mark Lastoria, a USASOC spokesman, confirmed that there is an upcoming exercise called Jade Helm 15 which is scheduled to take place this summer at locations in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, California and Nevada. But he denied the event is preparation for some sort of military takeover.

A judge in Texas apparently agrees.

Some more reasoning people on the web have said that events like this have happened all the time and this is nothing new. The scale of this operation, however, is greater than anything before. It started out as confined to seven States and has grown into perhaps 10. Add to this the fact that the operation is being conducted in the south western States. These States have recently started grumbling over national government encroachment since Bundy Ranch.

The scale has, in fact, concerned the so-called “left” as well as the right. The mainstream media, of course, is depicting only the “far right-wing” (with the tone right-wing nut) as being concerned.

In Arizona it is supposed to be limited to Phoenix. Yet there is some evidence that it might spread. Youtube videos have shown armored mine-resistant ambush protection (MRAP) vehicles being transported on trains. Some have excused this as vehicles being transported for use in Afghanistan. Yet reports from Kingman indicate that they might have missed one.

According to reports, the county maintains the vehicle for use by Department of Homeland Security personnel. It is unknown how many more of these vehicles have been placed throughout the State outside of military facilities.

Concerns

What follows are concerns that have surfaced

Russians involved in Jade Helm “training?”

For thirteen days in October of 1962, the world stood on the fringe of nuclear war over Russian encroachment in this hemisphere by placing missiles in Cuba. Fifty years later they were invited into the United States. Many people probably do not recall that the Russians have already famously trained in the United States with US troops. One report even stated, “Russian soldiers will also learn how to use US special service weapons.”

A report by an “alternate news” source indicates that Russian troops may be involved in the drill.

While they have apparently trained Russian troops with American military equipment, there is no official word that Russian troops are involved in this exercise. If ANY foreign troops are found to be involved in this exercise, it will probably be met with more than a little concern.

The U.S. Military also signed a little-publicized agreement with Canada in 2008 allowing Canadian forces to be used in the U.S. during “civil unrest,” and vice-versa.

This agreement is, at best, questionable on a Constitutional level. No Congressional authority was given for the agreement according to one source.

Troop Infiltration in populace

A report in the Huston Chronicle stated that local officials were notified of the exercise for some time and even plan troop infiltration of the local populace. They quote the chief deputy with the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office:

They’re going to set up cells of people and test how well they’re able to move around without getting too noticed in the community. They’re testing their abilities to basically blend in with the local environment and not stand out and blow their cover.

The problem is that with the Posse Comitatus laws, the military is not supposed to have a cover. They are not supposed to operate off of U.S. military bases.

Martial Law training in Florida

A video has surfaced on the web from DAHBOO777 which is of concern due to the scale. The video is presented as an operation that occurred around the 24 to the 26. While drills like this happen and the media usually covers, the scale of this one is strange.

In the video, at least three Apache attack helicopters are flown around the city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida while people are shown apparently being “led” through restricted paths. Unmarked delivery-type vehicles are shown driving about, but it does not appear that people are being put into them.

The video certainly does appear to be a martial-law training scenario using military equipment in violation of Federal law.

Border Security

In December of 2010, Arizona Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was killed with a weapon found to be part of operation known as “Fast and Furious.” The operation, conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, ordered Arizona gun dealers allow straw purchases to persons they knew were going to sell them to the Mexican drug cartels. The Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder denied any knowledge of the operation. To date, no one has been held accountable for the death of Brian Terry or the operation.

Mexican authorities have shown arrests with photos of hundreds of military-style weapons seized.

Last year the border was inundated with sick, illegal immigrants from South America who were allowed to pass through a highly regulated and protected Mexican southern border—complete a barbed-wire wall and monitoring equipment. Among those were M-13 gang members who were offered lollipops by representatives of the congressional delegation of Texas.

Brainwashing of “Federal” agencies

There is, of course, the famous video from July of 2001 showing a FEMA training session in which the instructor seems to convince first responders that the founding fathers were nothing more than terrorists.

It is not clear if sessions such as these have continued. What is known is that police, particularly in metro areas, have been militarized.

The infamous “Right-Wing Extremism” memo PDF branding veterans, constitutionalists, Christians and Rand Paul supporters as domestic terrorists.

Analysis

To say this operation is the martial-law that everyone has long anticipated is somewhat of a stretch at this point. Since it hasn’t even happened at this point.

It should be noted that many videos online and quotes of this president have been extremely edited. What is clear is that the goal of this administration has been to disarm all American citizens with a total disregard for the Second Amendment. This is aligned with the Machiavellian principle of:

And whereas all subjects cannot be armed, yet when those whom you do arm are benefited, the others can be handled more freely,…

They have total disregard for the separation of powers and are using executive orders to circumvent immigration laws—an action which may very well be reversed in the court system. Texas v. United States is slowly winding through the judicial red tape.

It is difficult to believe that U.S. Military would actually fire on U.S. citizens. Especially since this administration handed out “pick slips” to some military while still serving in the field. Yet they are pushing Congress to open up the military to illegal aliens.

What has raised more than a few eyebrows is the scale of this operation being held in the “troublesome” south west.