Trial run.

I've never been a conspiracy theorist, can they stop making it seem like this is as obvious as a conspiracy as it seems like? I certainly believe they were "known" to the FBI. We don't have anyone doing shit about any crime anywhere in this area of Washington, and we're supposed to believe the FBI was keeping tabs on these apparent nobodies that just wanted to rob some rural stores?

I'm coming up with the crazy shit on my own now and it's seeming less and less crazy.

If this had happened just days before, we would have been so fucking vulnerable to ANYTHING anyone could have thrown at us, terror-wise. The whole region was encased in solid slick ice and no one could safely get anywhere, emergency services would have been almost useless. We're right next to JBLM and anyone not living on base is largely in these areas.

This all feels like a test of a planned procedure before full deployment/release. It's not the first. That this is the apparent testing ground makes me think the "real deal" is going to be somewhere far away, that isn't paying attention like our areas will be now.

If the FBI had just said they had no clue at all and they're just as baffled at this randomness as the rest of us it might be believable, but it seems like they've given it away that they are not at all baffled.

Where and when might this strategy have the most dire consequences?