Finally, the government is privitizing domestic spying. I feel so safe now. When I think of America, I usually envision large companies sifting through all of my information, my home and hopefully, my unmentionables. Thankfully, this dream is coming true. Up until this point, information from domestic spy satellites was only used by scientific agencies. After 9/11, the NSA was given powers that allowed it to monitor domestic communications without getting those pesky warrants. And now the Bush administration is blowing it out!

Under a proposal being reviewed by Congress, a National Applications Office will be established to coordinate how the Department of Homeland Security and domestic law enforcement and rescue agencies use imagery and communications intelligence picked up by U.S. spy satellites. If the plan goes forward, the NAO will create the legal mechanism for an unprecedented degree of domestic intelligence gathering that would make the United States one of the world's most closely monitored nations.

Sweet. Monitor the shit out of us. We used to have this stupid law that confined intelligence collection to foreign countries and battlefields. Not anymore. And let's make sure private companies are a huge part of it, because they never do anything wrong and have continually shown throughout history that they can be trusted.

The intelligence-sharing system to be managed by the NAO will rely heavily on private contractors, including Boeing, BAE Systems, L-3 Communications and Science Applications International Corporation.

Mmmmm, safety. Nothing makes me feel safer than knowing BAE Systems has my back. Also my front. And my unmentionables.

Last month all the private domestic spy companies went to the intelligence conference in San Antonio and lobbied intelligence officials, in a giant, disgusting, display of everything that is wrong with our country. But, hey, those companies are the ones who told the government that we needed to expand our domestic spying, so bravo.

A study group was put together by a couple of government agencies and they thought it would be a great idea to use former intelligence officers. Many of them just happened to be employed by private intelligence companies, like Booz Allen. Guess what crazy conclusion they came up with?

Not surprisingly, its contractor-advisers called for a major expansion in the domestic use of the spy satellites that they sell to the government. Since the end of the Cold War and particularly since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, they said, the "threats to the nation have changed, and there is a growing interest in making available the special capabilities of the intelligence community to all parts of the government, to include homeland security and law enforcement entities and on a higher priority basis."

Word. We think you should give us money to do stuff. Lots of stuff. Oh, did I mention we're going to need lots of money? To do that stuff we said should be done? Thanks for asking. Hey, you know that thing I said we should be doing with that satellite? Turns out I can totally do that. And it will only cost millions of dollars. How weird is it that I am the guy who is able to do what I said needed to be done? For money?

The domestic spying contracts are worth billions of dollars and this is a brand new business. The new plan was revealed in August and caught some people off guard. Bennie G. Thompson, a Democratic member of Congress from Mississippi and the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee was surprised when he read about it in the Wall Street Journal.

There was no briefing, no hearing, and no phone call from anyone on your staff to any member of this committee of why, how or when satellite imagery would be shared with police and sheriffs' officers nationwide.

Well, that is probably because most Americans don't want to be spied on. Duh. Actually, maybe I'm just being an alarmist and blowing this all out of proportion.

"It will terrify you if you really understand the capabilities of satellites," warned Jane Harman, a Democratic member of Congress from California. "Even if this program is well-designed and executed, someone somewhere else could hijack it."

Oh.

So far the NAO has been delayed. It was supposed to kick off on October 1st, but annoying Congress members and civil rights hippies have been making noise. Of course, later we will learn that the Bush administration did not delay the program. And then when we try to investigate, we won't be able to because all the information is "classified." This entire program will always be classified, which is awesome, because it is watching us.

America is going forward, and as we do so, we must remain keenly aware of the threats to our country.

Those in authority should take appropriate precautions to protect our citizens. But we will not allow this enemy to win the war by changing our way of life or restricting our freedoms.

- George W. Bush, September 12, 2001.

freshprncebelair

Ellicott City, MD

June 2004

DEC 09, 2007 09:11 AM

It's speculated that contractors already make up over 50% of CIA capabilities (the exact amount is classified). Of course this is a major problem. The other problem is that since we have trained so many intelligence operators, they have gone to these private companies. And these private companies have gone international, some headquartering in Dubai or other tax free locales. And completing the puzzle is that China is starting to get in on the contractor game.

The best satellite it is known the Air Force has is a 3.5m Adaptive Optics satellite. Conservatively speaking, this means a 1cm resolution.

However, there isn't much you can do with a satellite image to grossly invade privacy, and additionally, private companies can already put up their own satellites (some already have) as there isn't much we can do about it, being space and all (and we don't want to show off our satellite destruction tech)

mingol

Singapore

July 2005

DEC 09, 2007 09:27 AM

And one more domino falls.

You know, there was a time when I thought Singapore was an overpoliced surveillance state, and looked to the U.S. as an inspiring alternative. Now it's pretty much the other way around. I never thought I'd see the day.