third echelon

In the game splinter cell, the top secret organization third echelon is apart of the NSA. But does it really exist? And do splinter cells really exist? Ive seen the NSAs website and they say they dont "assainate" people but do they really? And they say they cant give tours of the building in fort meade, MD, for "security" purposes. Does anyone know of this?

[edit on 13-5-2006 by soonerblake]

[edit on 13-5-2006 by soonerblake]

will anyone answer this?? does anyone care at all? just comment....

Originally posted by soonerblake
In the game splinter cell, the top secret organization third echelon is apart of the NSA. But does it really exist? And do splinter cells really exist?

I like to think of it as a comparison with James Bond movies, in the sense that the author may have been inspired from reality by people in the know, but the resulting story itself is a work of fiction.

Ive seen the NSAs website and they say they dont "assainate" people but do they really?

I don't know. I don't think they are in the business of assassinating people any more than your phone company. Most cryptanalysts resemble more of the typical math teacher rather than a sunglassed goon in black suit shooting everything in sight and making cars asplode.

During normal working hours NSA has the biggest collection of geeks in one place in the entire world.

Splinter Cell is a video game...it's called artistic license, nothing more.

Unless you have the proper security clearance you can't have access to the buildings (they have quite few and annex's around the area). And that alone doesn't allow access either, unless you have official business there.

The workers in the cafeteria, barber shop, the credit union, the gift shop, etc., all have security clearances, as do the janitors. That's no joke.

NSA doesn't assasinate people. It's not quite like in that Will Smith movie "Enemy of the State", or the X-Files.

Read James Bamford's "Puzzle Palace" and/or "Body of Secrets", if you haven't already. It shed's some light on NSA, though "Palace" is a pretty boring read. They're on Amazon.

I remember when i was active duty, they told us to say "I can neither confirm nor deny any information contained in that book", if anyone questioned us about the Puzzle Palace, when it came out.

Now i laugh about that.

Even thought it is fiction, i can understand why you'd wonder. In some PC game it had Majestic 12 in it, people may wonder if it would exist as would the concept of a 3rd Echelon group. (BTW, the Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory rules!)

[edit on 30-5-2006 by Herbert_West]

In a rough attempt to take this thread seriously....for instance I just graduated from a University in D.C. (Fort Meade the home of the NSA is a 15-20 minute drive) and had a close friend that Interned at NSA, even with only a Secret clearance he was extremly "close-lipped" about it. All that set aside there is no way that NSA is capable of performing direct-action type of missions as you say, they simply are not designed for that role.

As Ufia said "Most cryptanalysts resemble more of the typical math teacher rather than a sunglassed goon in black suit shooting everything in sight and making cars asplode."

I give Splinter cell more credit then you average video game since Tom Clancy has last say on anything put into that game.

Alot of the tech featured in that game is pretty close to real life. The game makers have had a hard time with Clancy on some game issues the Splinter cells Goggles for example having ones that can switch between IR, NV etc.. at the press of a button Clancy wasnt behind that concept. But having him take off one set and put another on whenever you wanted to switch modes would be good for gameplay.

I didn't know that Clancy had all that much of a say in the finished game. It's great to hear that he in fact does!

And no, the NSA would not conduct operations like the ones in the 'Splinter Cell' game series. There are other, much more secret, agencies for that.

have u guys heard of grey fox?? apparently is a super secretive agency thats in charge of the assasinations.

"Grey Fox" was originally created as a counter-drug unit comprising CIA officers, skilled operators, aviators, and the like. If they were so secretive it would not be "common" knowledge that they are/were stationed at Fort Belvoir. After 9/11 military brass and Rumsfeld realized that the composition of the unit fit the mission profile for hunting Osama bin-Laden and other top-tier personalities. Currently they are under JSOC (Joint Special Operations Command) and are involved in a joint task force dubbed "Task Force 121." They are not "in charge of assassinations," yet if a target of opportunity presents itself better to take it then, than let it live to fight another day.

P.S. despite I think it is a very sensationalist thread with alot of poorly formulated ideas, hey deny ignorance!

Grey Fox The Most secret Unit in the world?