Presidential Security Clearance

I have always thought that if you became the President of the United States that you automatically received the highest level of security clearance possible. But, somewhere I recently read on ATS that even the President doesn't have access to some places including Area 51.

What exactly does the President get access to? and is is really like the movies where even the President doesn't know what is really going on in the secret black government world?

thats what i thought too but those stupid black government people wont let you see unless there is an immediate danger of some sort and the weapons or whatever in area 51 is needed or from some other secret base.........well you need the presidents authorization to launch a nuke......

Actually, it allows the President the out of "Plausible Deniability"
If the "official) real word gets out and things are proved one way or the other

It's called need to know basis. Why the hell does the president need to know what is being worked on? It is easy to keep a secret if few people know about something, so only those that MUST know, do know. Plus, ask China and Clinton what happens when the president knows some secrets and needs money for his reelection

I understand your point, but I thought that "Commander in Chief" meant he got as-high-as-it-gets clearance level.

You may all the security clearances needed to see anything that you want, but if you do not have the need to know, then you will not have any access or even knowledge of secrets such as the Area 51

high security clearance IS given to the president, but if the Pentagon sees no immeadiate threat from the black projects, then the president is not told anything until he asked specifically (and even then, he is only told the info that has the lowest clearance level) It almost always returns to Plausible Deniability.

Yeah, sooner or later the prez will not be prez and then he knows to musc

That really sucks... Why should the, "black projects" have more authority then the president. Who are they to control or tell him what to do?

So the movie situation in the film Independence Day could in fact be the truth? When the president doesn't know what is really going on with secrets...

Originally posted by bzap
So the movie situation in the film Independence Day could in fact be the truth? When the president doesn't know what is really going on with secrets...

In a word: yes.

the president has no reason to know what kind of toys are in developement. If we got to war, he may be told of there existance, but thats about it. Bascally, if there isn't a really REALLY god reason you need to know about something, then you probably won't.

the president has no reason to know what kind of toys are in developement.

Ok, so here is a question. Who does know all the secrets and toys being developed? (i.e. Area 51, Black Projects) Would you say Rummy knows all, or that there is stuff that he doesnt know?

[edit on 8/18/2004 by Trojanex]

[edit on 8/18/2004 by Trojanex]

The people that know of such things are:

Those who built it
those who operate it
those who upkeep it
those involved in logistics (such as the Aurora being refueled in mid air)
those who are in command of it (read the generals ect that would decide this particular weapon would be the best for the job)

So the pres/ vice pres wouldn't need to know about it bcause they say (basically) we want to invade Iraq. That command gets sent down the chain of command 'till there is a specific order for, say, pics of a suspected WMD plant. then the order is given to launch the aurora. So in this case, the president didnt need to know that the plane existed, he just needs to see the pics to get the evidence. On the other hand, a General lets say, needs to know what tools he has at his service. In this case satalites a U2, and the Aurora. He goes with the Aurora to give it some action. So then he and everyone under him involved with the plane would have to know of it's existance.

How ever, the lower people on this chain (say in this case a radar operator) doesn't really have specific information on it's top speed, max altitude, stealth, or payload.

The pilot knows how the aircraft performs, but doesn't know how to build it.

Those that built it only know what they have to to do their jobs. In this case someone who was involved in say the sensor sweet wouldn't need to know the type of engine used, or the materials used.

Understand?

I think the president tries to stay abstracted from the nuts and bolts of how things work. He simply says he wants it done, and lets somebody else figure it out. If he really pushes the matter, or wants specific information to help him make a decision, he can probably get just about whatever he wants. But, as it has been said before, why should he? Giving the president �limited briefings� for �plausible deniability� provides some insurance once he gets out of office, as well as making it easier to lie to the public.

Plausible deniability is a good reason for an intelligence czar or leader to be independent from the white house. Well the other big reason would be to prevent too much presidential or executive influence over all the decisions made in the intelligence agencies. Just think though, if the intelligence leader reported to the president, the president could take the blame for any and all intelligence blunders.

You can do searches on ATS for the Majestic 12 and/or other topics to realize that the president probably doesn't know everything that is going on. Just imagine if you felt extremely powerful and you were a member of this Majestic 12 and had been for over 20 years. Then some civilian becomes president (Kerry, Bush, take your best dislike). Do you suddenly feel a need to tell this guy everything just so he knows?

The buck doesn't stop with the president anyway. If the president knows anything the average aristocrat doesn't, he keeps it quiet and does as he's told. If he didn't he'd probably be comitted to Bethesda and "jump" from the exact same window as James Forrestal did.

Originally posted by Trojanex
Ok, so here is a question. Who does know all the secrets and toys being developed? (i.e. Area 51, Black Projects) Would you say Rummy knows all, or that there is stuff that he doesnt know?

My best guess would be that members high up in the CIA, NSA and FBI may have inside knowledge of the really secret stuff if the president did not. I bet the people that know the most are the people we have probably never heard about.

Not to be rude, but the pure BS that some people here are posting is getting to me. We tend to centralize our focus on the lake to much in our discussions. You would be surprised at the amount of tours that go on at the lake...and no not public tours.

The president has full knowledge of the ops that go on at the lake and various other facilities. He just doesn't need or want the details. That briefing would last months. Way too much info. Now there will always be side projects that people in our government and the Military Industrial Complex are working on that may never be known outside of that.

A good place to look at is DARPA. Where the majority of black programs are borne.

Originally posted by ignorance is a plenty
A good place to look at is DARPA. Where the majority of black programs are borne.

Speaking of being born, notice how rare pre darpa info is? The Department of Defence directive 5105.15 created, what was to be in 1958.

Now understanding that, it would be a good idea to see what else they had Dwight D. Eisenhower authorize.

That is a different subject, as is DARPA. Not to say DARPA isn't a probable means to make the "Commander-in-Chief" aware of something need to know, but they surely do not have anything to do with issueing security clearance. Defense Security Service, or as of now the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), does have some thing to do with "security clearance" and who does or doesn't recieve it.

As for what the President has access to, that depends on what his "presidential advisors" and within the shadows puppet masters decide.

the pres could just go in with his u tripple s boys and say let me in. you cant say NO to the pres and if you did well lets just say you wont get any funding anymore. and he could just get through anyway i mean who's gona stop him?