Obama goes to 5 Guys. Learns about one of his agencies.

[Ronkh]

In which the president discovers an American intelligence agency at Five Guys

On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys this afternoon, the President appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.

"So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial..." Obama said, after the worker mentioned his employer, according to a video of the event.

"We work with, uh, satellite imagery," the worker, Walter replied.

A POLITICO reader caught the exchange, which starts around 5:45 on this C-SPAN video.

The transcript:

Obama: What do you do Walter?
Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.

According to the Defense Department:

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the national Intelligence Community (IC). NGA develops imagery and map-based intelligence solutions for U.S. national defense, homeland security and safety of navigation.

NGA provides timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of national security objectives. The term "geospatial intelligence" means the exploitation and analysis of imagery and geospatial information to describe, assess and visually depict physical features and geographically referenced activities on the Earth. Geospatial intelligence consists of imagery, imagery intelligence and geospatial (e.g., mapping, charting and geodesy) information.

Guess they`re not getting much airtime in the President`s Daily Brief.

[G.T.Subie]

It`s probably a part of the defense budget he is cutting :yikes:

[dave40co]

I wonder if he got his CHANGE at the register?

[Mr. Clean]

Isn`t that the same agency that "found" indisputable evidence of those WMDs for the Bush/Cheney crew? :D I just can`t seem to recall what it was that was ultimately found in those vehicles. ;)

"Walter" needs to spend a little less time at the burger joints. Cholesterol hardens the arteries and evidently effects vision/interpretation. :D

[CharlesW]

Isn`t that the same agency that "found" indisputable evidence of those WMDs for the Bush/Cheney crew? :D I just can`t seem to recall what it was that was ultimately found in those vehicles. ;)
I don`t remember what was found in the traveling labs, but I was always a little curious what type of legitimate research called for traveling labs in the first place. :confused:

[Mr. Clean]

I don`t even recall that they were actually "travelling labs". Even conceding that point, you can be certain that we expended every possible resource trying to find any trace evidence that there was ever the existence of uranium based materials within hundreds of yards (or miles) near vehicles.

[CharlesW]

I don`t even recall that they were actually "travelling labs". Even conceding that point, you can be certain that we expended every possible resource trying to find any trace evidence that there was ever the existence of uranium based materials within hundreds of yards (or miles) near vehicles.The trailers were considered to be linked to bio-chemical production,
system.

The report notes that the trailers contain a fermenter, water-supply tanks, an air compressor, a water-chiller, a device for collecting exhaust gases—just the right components for an "ingeniously simple, self-contained bioprocessing system"

That information is also somewhat ambiguous.
Some of the features of the trailer—a gas-collection system and the presence of caustic—are consistent with both bioproduction and hydrogen production. The plant`s design possibly could be used to produce hydrogen using a chemical reaction.

Iraqi officals claimed the trailers were used to produce hydrogen for artillery weather-balloons. (Many Army units float balloons to monitor the accuracy of artillery fire.)

So, who do we believe?
The Iraqi officials who were consistently putting out false communications or our intelligence gathering community that was consistently wrong in their interpretation of the evidence they were able to collect.

I am not at all a fan of Bush/Cheney, but the overall problem involved a lot more that just those two.

It`s almost inconceiveable that the intelligence gathering was so incorrect, both prior to the invasion, during the early stage of the war, and carrying on even now.
It seems like more of a cover-up than mistakes.
We will probably never know.

[Mr. Clean]

...
So, who do we believe?
The Iraqi officials who were consistently putting out false communications or our intelligence gathering community that was consistently wrong in their interpretation of the evidence they were able to collect.
Very aptly put. :)

I am not at all a fan of Bush/Cheney, but the overall problem involved a lot more that just those two.
Yeah, I guess I left out Rumsfeld. :D

It`s almost inconceiveable that the intelligence gathering was so incorrect, both prior to the invasion, during the early stage of the war, and carrying on even now.
Were they so incorrect, or were they directed to reach the conclusions at which they arrived? ;)
It seems like more of a cover-up than mistakes.
We will probably never know.
Perhaps not. And then again, when we know, will we know we know? :rofl

[Ronkh]

It`s almost inconceiveable that the intelligence gathering was so incorrect, both prior to the invasion, during the early stage of the war, and carrying on even now.
It seems like more of a cover-up than mistakes.
We will probably never know.

I for one, don;t think they were incorrect. I`m still a firm believer they had WMD. One day they will surface.

[Ronkh]

I wonder if he got his CHANGE at the register?
:lol2:

I think he oredered root beer and not kool aid.

[dave40co]

I for one, don;t think they were incorrect. I`m still a firm believer they had WMD. One day they will surface.

I think they sent them to Syria before the invasion.

[Ronkh]

I think they sent them to Syria before the invasion.

sorta my belief too since we wouldnt let isreal into the bekka valley when the war was going.

[dave40co]

Just remember this when Israel gets nuked by 2 not just 1 countries! We are so FRICKEN blind here.

[OCDinPDX]

I`m sorry but every time I read this thread title this is all I think of...

http://donnyfisher.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/five-guys-burgers-and-fries-sign.jpg

[Ronkh]

I`m sorry but every time I read this thread title this is all I think of...

http://donnyfisher.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/five-guys-burgers-and-fries-sign.jpg

Thats where they went.