National Applications Office

[INRM]

Anyone ever heard of the National Applications Office?

URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Applications_Office

The National Applications Office is a United States Department of Homeland Security program that provides local, state, and federal officials with extensive access to spy-satellite imagery.[1] It has access to military satellites to observe the United States. It has been described as a clearinghouse for requests by law enforcement, border security, and other domestic homeland security agencies to access feeds from spy satellites that have collected data for mainly scientific and military uses in the past.

Access to spy satellite surveillance tools allows Homeland Security and law enforcement officials to see real-time, high-quality images. This allows them to identify gang safehouses, border smuggler staging areas, or even hideouts of would-be terrorists. The spy surveillance satellites are considered by military experts to be far more powerful than those currently available to civilian officials.


There are numerous other links on google and some videos on youtube such as
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC-5ALzTN1Y
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdDP5PtjqUo

Apparently this office has been operational since 2008 from what it would seem (the wikipedia article says the charter was signed in February 2008)


Am I the only one that finds this kind of, I don't know, horrifying?


INRM

[Beerina]

How would one know they aren't spying on the opposition moving around, you know, by accident? Same question as for the non-monitored, non-approved wiretapping pipe.


And to any FBI agents reading this, yes, I do consider runaway government more threatening than terrorists. Please learn human history. Ask yourself, "How did governments that are dictatorships get that way in the first place? What kind of things did they have to implement to do this?

[theprestige]

Scenario: Terrorists smuggle explosives into a crowded place, detonate them, and kill hundreds of people.

Later it is revealed that the government has high-quality recon satellites making passes overhead every hour or so, and that if the border patrol and other agencies had just taken a few hours to request access to the satellite data and reviewed that data, they would have found all the telltale signs of the bombing preparation, and would have been able to prevent it.

"We knew about the satellites years ago," admitted DHS Director INRM in a statement following the bombing, "but we didn't bother making use of them to save lives, because we found the idea, I don't know, kind of horrifying." There is no word yet on whether the family members of those killed in the explosion found the idea of closed-casket funerals for their loved ones "kind of horrifying".

[ktesibios]

Scenario: Terrorists smuggle explosives into a crowded place, detonate them, and kill hundreds of people.

Later it is revealed that the government has high-quality recon satellites making passes overhead every hour or so, and that if the border patrol and other agencies had just taken a few hours to request access to the satellite data and reviewed that data, they would have found all the telltale signs of the bombing preparation, and would have been able to prevent it.


DHS Secretary theprestige said at a press conference "We might have picked up enough clues to prevent the bombings if we hadn't been giving priority to tracking the dirty ------ hippies who protest our policies in the hope of finding an excuse to go after them. I mean, what the flaming Hell did you expect when you gave us this power?"

[theprestige]

DHS Secretary theprestige said at a press conference "We might have picked up enough clues to prevent the bombings if we hadn't been giving priority to tracking the dirty ------ hippies who protest our policies in the hope of finding an excuse to go after them. I mean, what the flaming Hell did you expect when you gave us this power?"
You make an excellent point.

Except for the part that my illustration was based entirely on the views INRM actually expressed right here in this thread.

And the part where your illustration was based entirely on the opposite of the views I actually expressed in this thread.

Of course, if you have any evidence to present, to the effect that the DHS has used the spysat access it's been granted to prioritize tracking dirty hippies instead of smugglers and other criminals, feel free to present it.

[INRM]

Beerina,

How would one know they aren't spying on the opposition moving around, you know, by accident? Same question as for the non-monitored, non-approved wiretapping pipe.

That's the big problem. And the answer is we don't -- We have to take their word for it...

And to any FBI agents reading this, yes, I do consider runaway government more threatening than terrorists.

That's right. Most people apparently don't realize this.


ktesibios,

DHS Secretary theprestige said at a press conference "We might have picked up enough clues to prevent the bombings if we hadn't been giving priority to tracking the dirty ------ hippies who protest our policies in the hope of finding an excuse to go after them. I mean, what the flaming Hell did you expect when you gave us this power?"

Very good point. It's quite unfortunate when you give a government enormous surveillance power it almost always ends up getting turned on it's own citizens (and almost always on critics of government policy)


INRM

[INRM]

I should also note that according to an earlier court ruling, the military does not have to follow the 4th Amendment even when performing domestic operations.

So should they decide to employ satellites that use IR tracking (which can see through walls and stuff), so long as that satellite is military, they don't have to worry about warrants and unwarranted search and seizure issues -- that's what previously prevented IR cams from being used (It would violate the 4th amendment).


INRM

[Travis]

Law enforcement already have planes that can fly over some place to take aerial pictures and relay real time video....how is this any different?

[Professor Yaffle]

Spies have spy stuff?

Who'd've thunk it?

[Alareth]

So should they decide to employ satellites that use IR tracking (which can see through walls and stuff)


And what movie did you see that one in?

[Thunder]

Am I the only one that finds this kind of, I don't know, horrifying?


INRM

I am sure that lots of conspiracy theorists, irrational people, and paranoid people, also find this horrifying.

[Thunder]

I should also note that according to an earlier court ruling, the military does not have to follow the 4th Amendment even when performing domestic operations.

INRM

I don't believe in the 4th Amendment.

[geni]

And what movie did you see that one in?

Satlites with IR tracking are to be expected because it makes tracking say tank movements at night less of a hastle. Certian criminal activities give off a lot of heat which the satilites may be able to pick up.

[theprestige]

I should also note that according to an earlier court ruling, the military does not have to follow the 4th Amendment even when performing domestic operations.
Not quite: the court ruled that when conducting warfare, the military is free to conduct warfare even when the enemy brings the war to American soil.

And even then, the military is governed by all the rules and regulations and oversight that govern it whenever it conducts warfare.

You can't just use a military recon sat and claim that because it's military you can do whatever you want with it.

[INRM]

Parky76,

I don't believe in the 4th Amendment.

Well that's actually quite disturbing in it's own right. The fourth amendment is to prevent the government from being able to just spy on anybody whenever, wherever, and however they want without a reasonable cause.


Geni,

Satlites with IR tracking are to be expected because it makes tracking say tank movements at night less of a hastle. Certian criminal activities give off a lot of heat which the satilites may be able to pick up.

Exactly. Unfortunately IR-scanners can see through walls.


ThePrestige,
Not quite: the court ruled that when conducting warfare, the military is free to conduct warfare even when the enemy brings the war to American soil.

But it did say that they didn't have to follow the 4th Amendment and such.

You can't just use a military recon sat and claim that because it's military you can do whatever you want with it.

Actually you could. If information the military happens to obtain is then given to law enforcement, and if the military doesn't have to follow the fourth amendment, yeah they could use the data.


INRM

[Thunder]

Parky76,



Well that's actually quite disturbing in it's own right. The fourth amendment is to prevent the government from being able to just spy on anybody whenever, wherever, and however they want without a reasonable cause.



I believe the government should have the ability to spy on anyone at any time for any reason.

I have nothing to hide. Neither should you.

[DC]

I believe the government should have the ability to spy on anyone at any time for any reason.

I have nothing to hide. Neither should you.

thats dangerous thinking.

[INRM]

Dictator Cheney,

I'd have to agree with you on this issue. That is incredibly ignorant and dangerous thinking.

[Thunder]

got something to hide...do ya?

[INRM]

Parky 76,

There's a problem with your attitude. It implies that governments are not corrupt and are only interested in doing the right thing, and being fair and reasonable.

[Thunder]

Parky 76,

There's a problem with your attitude. It implies that governments are not corrupt and are only interested in doing the right thing, and being fair and reasonable.

Governments are not corrupt. People are corrupt. I believe most of the people in our Federal govt. are decent human beings...not sadistic NWO agents seeking to install a Global regime.

Yes, governments in China, North Korea, Nazi Germany, Cuba, Iran, Venezuela, and the USSR were corrupt and authoritarian. But this is not the case with the USA.

I love how you use the hypothetical possibility of " It implies that governments are not corrupt" and then applies this to the ENTIRE United States federal government. How very..crafty of you.

Alex would be proud. =)

p.s....I am joking with you!!!!!!!!

God almighty.

[INRM]

Parky76,

You did not sound like you were joking

[dudalb]

And what movie did you see that one in?

I think "Die Another Day".
You know the 007 with such realistic technology as an invisible car....