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Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 11:05:49 -0600
From: Kent Lee <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: re: mapping and imaging to CIA? <fwd>
Sender: Kent Lee <[log in to unmask]>


Dear Alice, List:

As far as I am able to judge, the proposed intelligence agency reorganization will have zero effect on the availability of maps to the US Public.  As far as depository library programs, I was not aware of any which applied to US military mapping (produced by NIMA) in general.  Depository library programs for USGS-produced materials are a totally different thing, and since USGS itself is in no way affected by the proposed reorganization, I don't know why its depository programs would be, either.  I think
The intelligence agency reorganization is, I believe, primarily a cut-and-paste operation involving different organizational charts.  If it happens, NIMA, NRO and NSA will be placed under the control of CIA (specifically DCI) and thus outside the DoD framework.  So, at the end of the day, the three N's will just switch their bosses:  in place of Donald Rumsfeld, they get George Tenet.  Nobody's organizational name will change-at least this is what NIMA people have told me.

The last big change in this area was when the CIA lost one of its major units, NPIC (National Photographic Interpretation Center, the folks responsible for analyzing much of the imagery collected by our various satellites and other apparati) to NIMA.  NIMA at the time was called DMA, so DMA + NPIC = NIMA.  The move was very, very upsetting to many involved.  So some have been calling the most recent reorganization "the revenge of NPIC."

Anyways, while these thing always matter for those in Washington, as they should, I think the net effect for those of us outside the Beltway is that the deck of cards has just been shuffled, but none have been thrown away--except maybe a joker or two.

Kent

BTW--In my modest and surely objective opinion, East View is the greatest place on Earth to come see what public-domain NIMA maps and digital data are comprehensively, quickly and very cheaply available.  Please do!

K.

 >>  Subject: mapping and imaging to CIA?
 >>  Seems to me I heard a blip of a report on tv about the probable move of US
 >>  government mapping and imaging responsibilities to the CIA from NIMA.
 >>  Did I imagine this? If this happened, how would it impact on depository
 >>  stuff...like future shipments, rules and regs, etc.

Kent D. Lee
President/CEO

East View Cartographic, Inc.
3020 Harbor Lane N.
Minneapolis, MN 55447  USA

Tel: 763-550-0961
Fax: 763-559-2931
Email: [log in to unmask]
URL:  www.eastview.com, www.cartographic.com
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