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Praetorium Honoris

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Plans and Schemes

By U.S. Army Materiel Command - Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Jarrett Jefferson, newly promoted to sergeant, was watching the DC police SWAT team in training. Members of the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team were putting the DC SWAT people through their paces. He shook his head, they carried on like they were soldiers and he thought that that was bullshit.

"Problem, Sergeant?" DuPont was there as well, with his team short five men, four dead, one in hospital long term, his team would be backing up the DC cops and the HRT, if necessary.

"Let's talk outside Cap'n, I've seen enough."

The two men went outside of the facility, it was a very muggy day in DC. DuPont looked expectantly at Jefferson.

"Sir, that bunch acts like they're soldiers, they're not."

"I don't know, Jarrett, there are some similarities ..."

"Not really, Sir. Soldiers go up against an organized, well-armed opponent, these guys usually deploy to take out nut jobs, individual fanatics, and the occasional terrorist cell. They're not used to going up against heavy weapons, nor the proper use of those by their teams. Damn it, Sir, most of them are no better than well-armed civilians. They'd fold against a serious, unexpected threat."

Jefferson paused, he looked down at his feet, then up to the sky. His eyes followed a Southwest aircraft probably headed to Reagan, maybe Dulles. Then he looked at DuPont.

"We folded, Sir. Heavy automatic weapon took out the team, in the blink of an eye. We weren't ready for that. Hell, Sir, if this threat is as serious as the big shots think, we should use the Army."

"You think Posse Comitatus doesn't apply here?"

"No Sir, I don't. Congress amended that act in '81. Military can't arrest people, but they can provide assistance and support to law enforcement, especially in drug cases. But insurrection applies as well, in that case the military can be brought in to act directly."

"Scary shit, Sarge."

"I know Sir, but there's something big brewing, and I don't like it."


Wilt Thompson spread the map out on a pool table, with the exception of five men, everyone else from the Rod and Gun Club had gone home.

Thompson looked at the locals, "You fellas want to keep an eye on things outside? I'd rather not have unexpected visitors."

"Alright gentlemen, gather 'round. It's your show, Ephraim."

Johansen nodded, then began. "We first thought to do this out here on the Eastern Shore, until I realized that we didn't want to be martyrs, we wanted them to be martyrs. Out here they could cut us off by blocking both ends of the peninsula. We'd have nowhere to go, the Navy and the Coast Guard would nail us if we tried to get out by boat."

"Thing is, we want to be able to pull back, but not run, do you know what I mean?"

Rossi stepped in and looked at the map, he saw rough terrain, lots of trees, with one or two good roads going through.

Rossi's hand circled an area on the map, "Green Ridge State Forest, I like it. It's state property, but there's no way Maryland could handle what we have in mind, they'd have to call in the Feds."

"And that's a fair piece from DC," Morgan nodded then looked at Johansen, "They'd have to fly in, wouldn't they?"

Johansen nodded, "I think Hagerstown Regional can handle C-130s, not sure about Potomac Air Park, in a pinch probably, the Herky bird was designed for rough fields. There's also Greater Cumberland, in West Virginia. But all of those are a ways out, and there aren't many places to land a helo in the area you're looking at, Wilt. They'd have to come in by road, one way or the other. Is that what you have in mind, Wilt?"

Thompson nodded, "There's an old farm out that way, off on a side road. A few big outbuildings, my thought was tipping off the feds to either drugs or guns at that location."

Morgan spoke, "It's gotta be guns, the American people will be rooting for druggies to be taken down. People are starting to wonder about the Second Amendment, we've got to be seen as defending our rights."

Everyone nodded, then Johansen said, "Get us all the details on the place you can, Wilt. I'll plant the seeds in DC."

Rossi spoke up, "We ought to have a name for this operation."

"Got something in mind, Al." Morgan smiled as he asked the question.

"I do, Operation Lexington. Or maybe Operation Lexington and Concord."

Thompson asked, "Isn't that a little obvious?"

Morgan spoke up, "How about Operation North Bridge?"

"Shit yeah, that's even better, same day, the shot heard round the world, all that stuff." Rossi nodded enthusiastically.

Johansen chimed in, "I can go one better, fellas. Operation Rude Bridge. Only someone up on his Emerson would figure that one out quickly."

Rossi and Morgan looked puzzled for a moment, then Thompson spoke up:

By the rude bridge that arched the flood,
Their flag to April’s breeze unfurled,
Here once the embattled farmers stood,
And fired the shot heard round the world.

Emerson, "Concord Hymn"

The others smiled.

"That'll do. That's perfect." Rossi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, he was ready.




54 comments:

  1. I have been greatly enjoying both the new color(w/my middle-aged eyes..) and the new storyline. Good stuff!
    -JLM

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    1. I have grown to love the Navy blue letters. My old eyes didn't realize what they were missing.

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    2. Once again lessons from Lex confirm his wisdom in many areas. It really is easier on the eyes.
      JB

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  2. Your Muse is getting cranked up Sarge, although seeing an armed FBI SWAT team on a Sunday morning is ......uh....a bit unsettling.

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    1. Seeing a SWAT team at any time is disconcerting.

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  3. Unsettling, aye. Seeing one stacked outside the front door of your neighbor's house would be even more so.
    I'm reminded of video taken by one such neighbor in the film "Capitol Punishment" of an "arrest" of a guy who didn't even enter The People's House on Jan 6. The team included a Hummvee with a turret covering from the street. From the neighbor's viewpoint the guy in the turret had his back completely exposed.
    Boat Guy

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    1. Most SWAT/Special Response/HRT units do not train for multiple attack fronts. Their focus is always forward, usually only one small target.

      It's not talked about, but SWATish units have pulled up to projects and been assailed from all sides and had to pull out. And that's just from street thugs and their lack of shooting skills.

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    2. BG - Not soldiers, so they don't have the same tactical sense.

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    3. Beans - Yeah, the guys in the projects ain't playing.

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    4. Back in the gentler days of the mid-seventies (as I recall), a dimwit tried to hijack a flight from Grand Forks ND "International" Airport to Cuba (it was popular back then). The local newspaper said that the GFPD sent in their SWAT team (until then, I was unaware they even had one). Meanwhile, the airport employees were running to their lockers. Returning, it turned that they were packing more assorted weaponry than the police SWAT team had.

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  4. A nice connection to Emerson. The Op name sure sounds like Ruby Ridge. It'll probably go down the same path and for the same reason. I feel my blood starting to boil.

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    1. Didn't think of it until you mention it, but it does. I just watched a three-part documentary on Waco. It pissed me off in many ways.

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    2. The BATFE had many many opportunities to peacefully arrest David Koresh outside of the compound. But, no, they wanted to make National TV. And, boy, howdie, did they ever.

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    3. And good ol' Lon Horiuchi was there to help THEM as well! In large part thanks to Barr, who made sure Idaho could not prosecute him for Ruby Ridge!

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    4. Beans - FBI HRT screwed the pooch as well.

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    5. matism - Amazing how it all ties together.

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  5. This is a well written series Sarge, although it also makes me a bit uncomfortable (which is likely a good intellectual exercise). That this discussions exist on both sides in certain quarters does not surprise me (revolution,/rebellion and government crackdowns have been the subject of recorded history for 2,500 years and had gone on well before that). That it is a plausible scenario does.

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    1. I was hesitant to go down this path, until I realized I needed to, for catharsis if nothing else.

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  6. Scrumptious. Feed that Muse well, Sarge.

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  7. Gah, disgusting. Disgusting in that this is what the Feds have been proven to do. Stir up people and then send them in to do stuff so the Feds can act. How many mass shooters were known to the FBI? How many operations, like 'Get guy to cut barrel short' or 'Attack Gov. Whitmar' or 'Draw Mohammed Art Festival' were instigated by feds and had feds on scene to watch?

    These are not the actions of a government that serves the people. These are the actions of a government that owns people.

    As to the coming action, have the planners not thought about airborne assault if the military has been brought in? Paratroopers, helojockeys, even smaller planes than the C-130?

    And when is someone at the Rod and Gun Club going to start smelling an outside instigator that smells like fed?

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    1. We'll get there. As to set-ups?

      How do you get around posse comitatus after an election which is suspect? Stage an "insurrection." That's how.

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    2. Well, central DC turned into an armed military camp to protect 'the most popular president ever,' yeah, not good optics.

      Especially when the leaks from the Jan6 committee started coming.

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    3. Never forget Hutaree militia, or Bundy ranch, or Malheur, or "four grandpas in a Waffle House"!

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    4. Mark - The criminals running the show don't want to be exposed.

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    5. I'm very happy to see that I'm not the only worrywart on the farm; for a while I thought I was only getting more paranoid.
      OTOH, with the quality of woke n the Armed Services ...
      OTOH, pueden ustedes hablar Español? العربي ?فارسی?

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    6. I do worry, especially as November approaches.

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    7. BTW, Sarge, can you tell the difference, if they don't open their mouth, between a Mexican and a Syrian/Jordanian if they're dressed alike?
      I can't.

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  8. Ive worked on several jobs where we have had military literally alongside us (us being UK civvy police tactical firearms unit). On one job it was marginal as to who would go first and who would provide back up. If we want the military to take it, we have to get ministerial approval, then they get the order to take over, in writing, signed by the senior police officer in charge of the incident. Once they;’ve brought it to the horrible conclusion, the piece of paper is handed back to the police. On another job, we needed military to provide us with high speed boat transport, which we got from the Royal Marines Special Boat Service (think DEVGRU). On that occasion we were in charge and they were under our command. On my briefing I read them the rules of engagement then asked if there were any questions. A Royal Marine stuck his hand up and said, “Are they really your ROI’s sir?” I replied, “Yes, any problems?” He replied, “No sir, they’re a damn sight better than ours”. I was a tad worried after I sent them on their way. (Hogday)

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    1. PS to my above piece: By way of clarification,: I should have explained that the UK police always have primacy of command in such instances, (even when there is an event on a military base)

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    2. Hogday #1 - I'm very familiar with the SBS and the tools they bring to the table. I can see why you'd be a bit concerned as to the rules of engagement. (I assume you meant ROE, unless you folks across the pond have different terminology, which is often the case.)

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    3. Hogday #2 - Military bases being Federal installations, I'm guessing the FBI would be involved. Things are a little different here in the States.

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    4. Typo! RoE it is!

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  9. Crusty Old TV Tech here. OK, Musie's not been fed kimchee pizzas, nor mofongo before beddy-bye. Looks like some K-Street type has been wining her and dining her in some typical DC fancy pants (awful food, DC's not noted for quality cuisine) feed mill, followed by an anchovy pizza...waiting for the next shoe to drop, with a quizzical sense of dread.

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    1. Actually there are some really good eateries inside the Beltway.

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  10. LORDY! I take it you noticed how there were, or seemed to be - I haven't checked the numbers, partially because there are too many definitions- spikes in "mass shootings" under 44 & 46? Or at least more dramatically publicized? And the screams from all the legacy press for "GUN CONTROL!!!" are more strident and all use the same words, in the same order, almost as if they were reading the same script?

    California keeps doubling and redoubling down on its assaults on our constitutionally protected civil rights, ignoring the plain text of the Constitution and rulings of the United States Supreme Court.

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    1. The Constitution is just a scrap of parchment if there are no consequences for violating it. A number of politicians need to be doing hard time at a supermax.

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    2. Hard Time - Long Time along with asset forfeiture. "Encouraging the Others" would well serve our Republic.

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    3. This sums up almost all of one side of the aisle, and a good portion of the other:
      https://youtu.be/Z6Dj8tdSC1A?si=lJovloLDccrhB4Ub

      But I can't put all the blame on the greedy, power hungry capons and wethers in office. They have cushy jobs that avoid honest work, and are pretty much set for life as long as they appease the δῆμοι with panem etc circenses.
      I put the blame on those, as described in Jonah 4 "know not their right hand from the left" and believe they are owed "free" panel etc Mercedes in perpetuity, not realizing that they are paying for them with their tax dollars.

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    4. Any Mouse @ 3:54 PM - Concur!

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  11. (Aside from my dark suspicions that one of the four planning "Operation Rude Bridge" is a plant), military planners seem to be enamored with inspiring "Operation Something". "Operation" is a red flag if overheard, and the WW2 planners selected "Something" names from a random list had no relation to what the operation actually was. Something innocuous like "Wilderness Summer Invitational" would not raise eyebrows if overheard or mentioned in an email.

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    1. That "random" list in WWII was carefully constructed. One Allied planner had suggested totally random words for code names and Churchill was adamant that he would not want to tell some family that their son had been killed in Operation Sparkling Daisy or the like.

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  12. Once you play in the streets, your normal life is over. No going back to work, no electronic life (I.E. Banking, Credit Cards and so on). Between DNA, cameras everywhere, the basic threat of betrayal (See something, SAY Something sounds familiar?) and such, it's not the American Revolution where you can move back into the woods with your cousins for R&R.

    Our Forefather pledged "Their Lives, Family Fortunes and Sacred Honor" to the revolution. Same PRICE TAG TODAY.

    Even Washington had his home burned and family fleeing from British troops. Many wealthy men were reduced to penniless wreaks in British Prison Hulks.

    Concord Bridge from my readings wasn't quite a "Success". It was a last-ditch attempt to keep the British troops from seizing the weapons and gunpowder from the armory. The second much larger British detachment pushed through to do the mission. Happily, a lot of small arms and gunpower was salvaged. Artillery was always a shortage item for the Colonials. Thus, the raid on Ft Ticonderoga.

    The IRA worked in a mostly friendly environment, with few cameras, no DNA detection. fingerprints only could show once you were caught that you were there. No Fingerprint files like Veterans and Governmental employees have today.

    A pair of Predator Drones, or Counterinsurgency propeller aircraft has the ability for a made for TV wipeout of a located small arms equipped force in the woods.

    There are ways to fight but going directly against the sharp end of the spear isn't one of them.

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    1. These days it is a much tougher proposition. As for Concord Bridge, it's claim to fame was that there the first British casualties fell, it's where the British nightmare of the retreat to Boston began. (It's also the first place where a war crime was committed, a colonial allegedly tomahawked a wounded redcoat lying on the bridge.)

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    2. Wasn't a wounded guy bayonetted on his front steps in Concord?

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    3. I should have said American war crime, but the bayoneting was legal under the laws of war at the time, heat of battle and all that. Striking a man down, clearly out of action, was even jeered by the man's own comrades. (IIRC)

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