Sound Off: Should Jade Helm Conspiracy Theorists Apologize to the Troops?

We're a couple of weeks into the Jade Helm 15 military exercises in Texas and no citizens have been rounded up, no guns have been seized, no one's been shackled inside a train car, no abandoned Walmarts have been pressed into service and President Obama has not declared martial law.

The leading voice in promoting the idea that Washington was planning to invade Texas was Austin-based radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who believes the government was behind the 9/11 attacks and faked the moon landings. He stirred things up back in March when he said, "They're going to practice breaking into things and stuff. This is going to be hellish. Now this is just a cover for deploying the military on the streets... This is an invasion ... in preparation for the financial collapse and maybe even Obama not leaving office."

Many (if not most) would agree that Jones is a fringe figure. But Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered the Texas State Guard to keep tabs on the exercises. And Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Louis Gohmert both expressed "concerns" about Jade Helm 15 to the Pentagon.

Now that Jade Helm is in full swing, here's the report from Becki Womble, president and CEO of the Bastrop, TX Chamber of Commerce: “Our economy is booming,” Womble said. “[These men and women] are buying our food, gas, and other services we have to offer. Having Camp Swift — we have always had a good relationship with the military and we are happy to accommodate them.”

So here's the question: Texas is full of thousands of men and women training to protect American citizens from military and terrorist threats. Do the politicians who indulged the conspiracy theories owe the troops an apology? Sound off!