(John Ransom, Headline USA) The Department of Defense will conduct a military exercise on U.S. soil, called Operation Robin Sage, which concentrates on guerilla war tactics, pitting ‘seasoned freedom fighters’ against an ‘illegitimate government’ to be conducted in North Carolina, according to the Daily Mail.
“News of the training exercise comes just days after the anniversary of the Capitol riot and as the Justice Department announces the creation of a new ‘domestic terrorism‘ unit to tackle what officials said is an ‘elevated threat from domestic violent extremists,’” said the Daily Mail.
The Robin Sage exercise is part of a two-week training for final Special Forces (SOF) qualifications at the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School at Fort Bragg.
“These military members act as realistic opposing forces and guerrilla freedom fighters, also known as Pineland resistance movement,” the school said, according to the Tribune News Service.
Twitter erupted in a storm of criticism, reflecting a country that is increasingly on edge over the use of the military and federal law enforcement against civilian political opponents.
“So much for our freedom,” wrote one Twitter user. “So much for the military will never turn against the people.”
The govt is now planning for war games INSIDE the country. So much for our freedom. So much for the military will never turn against the people. Anyone who wants freedom is going 2be turned into “the ENEMY”, smeared & then eliminated w/extreme prejudice. https://t.co/VILuhbp5Be
— Legalman (@USlawreview) January 12, 2022
A recent poll by the Washington Post and the University of Maryland showed that 34% of Americans and one-in-four Democrats think that violence against the government is sometimes justified.
A new Quinnipiac poll says that “Seventy-six percent [of Americans] say they think political instability within the country is a bigger danger to the United States compared” the danger presented the U.S. by other countries, so the concern about Robin Sage is understandable.
Others point out that the special forces soldiers will be operating alongside supposed guerillas in the campaign and that the school has conducted these operations for a long time.
“It’s called Robin Sage. And it goes on all the time. I’m as anti govt extremist as they come, but dude, these SOF candidates are literally training ‘anti-govt’ militias in this exercise,” said a Twitter user.
The Daily Mail said that the training, named after Col. Jerry Michael Sage, has been ongoing since the 1970s.
