San Diego has 56 top-secret government agencies and companies, reveals the “Top Secret America” interactive map (see link below).
By Annu Subramanian / SDNN / Originally posted July 19, 2010
Across the country, an unprecedented operation is developing at an accelerating clip, unseen and unknown by most Americans.
Until now, that is.
On Monday (7/19/10) The Washington Post launched “Top Secret America,” an ongoing report of the private intelligence operations—which the report calls “our 4th branch of government– that have surfaced in America since September 11, 2001. The project has been in the making for two years now.
“The top-secret world the government created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work,” reads the report’s introduction, spearheaded by long-time reporters Dana Priest and William M. Arkin.
“After nine years of unprecedented spending and growth, the result is that the system put in place to keep the United States safe is so massive that its effectiveness is impossible to determine.”
Using engaging interactive features and compelling infographics, the report’s “immersive reading experience” assists readers in understanding the harrowing and vast nature of these intelligence agencies that contribute to “a hidden world growing beyond control.”
And the growth of these agencies is vast, indeed.
Scattered over about 10,000 locations, there are over 3,000 government agencies and companies that work in counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in America.
San Diego alone has 56 top-secret government agencies and companies, reveals the “Top Secret America” interactive map.
These security agencies have grown and asserted their influence in such great numbers and scope that thorough oversight of their proceedings has been absent throughout their expansion.
As the agencies continue to spend unparalleled funds and increase in size, the leadership assigned to ensure these operations’ efficacy is unable to process it all.
“I’m not aware of any agency with the authority, responsibility or a process in place to coordinate all these interagency and commercial activities,” Army Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who manages oversight of the Defense Department’s top-secret programs, told The Post. “The complexity of this system defies description.”
That the government is not certain that these agencies are producing unique and relevant data begs the question of redundancy as more of these companies emerge. Even the National Counterterrorism Center, a notably high-security intelligence center, has not produced reports that are different or better than existing CIA, FBI, NSA and Defense Intelligence Agency reports.
“Because [these activities] lack a synchronizing process, it inevitably results in message dissonance, reduced effectiveness and waste,” Vines said. “We consequently can’t effectively assess whether it is making us more safe.”
There is no way around it: that is highly suspect and frankly a problem, as our safety is the function of these government bodies.
“Top Secret America” is a living project that will continue to report on these intelligence agencies’ actions across the country, holding them accountable for their spending and continued growth.
Editor: SDNN (San Diego News Network) has ceased its operations.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
We can only hope the public is properly alarmed at the absurdity of all this.
I doubt that will be the case.
Cannot disagree with you there John. We ignore this development at our peril.
Witness the “big dog eats little dog” story got 48 comments, most with fiery vigor applied. You think the apathy is motivated by a feeling of helplessness, as if we cannot restrain our own government?
If we allow this to continue the deficit spending will only rise and it won’t take much of an international event for the dollar to crash and the federal government to become insolvent. Those supporting this police state in the making won’t like how they’ll be able to “keep us safe” in the midst of civil unrest… food riots… climbing the walls of gated communities to drag away and hang those responsible…but then again, knowing this may be inevitable might be the real reason they’re creating the system/network in the first place.
DPSA Elkridge, MD.
I have one for you DPSA Defense Programs Support Activity 7175 Troy Hill Drive Elkridge, MD 21075. This is another one of those so called secret organizations that they spend millions of dollars on and get nothing in return. Formerly known as Joint Field Support Center JFSC.
In fact I like the idea of ??secret agencies
it is amazing to me
We watch films depicting the events for international spies
It would be great if it was peaceful as it seems