If you're from the St. Louis area, you've probably heard of The Defense Mapping Agency. A few years ago it was renamed the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and these days it does a lot more than print out maps. The agency produces mapping imagery that shows features, can be manipulated and is vital to servicemembers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. It also produces 3-D video maps that you can drive walk through, drive through or fly through. Imagine a group of soldiers in Baghdad that are pinned down by a sniper who is high up in one of several nearby office buildings. Those soldiers could contact the NGA, which could use 3-D imagery to see the soldier's perspective and then safely examine the line of sight and distance of surrounding buildings to tell the soldiers which building the sniper is likely to be hiding in. In some cases the map could be sent directly to the soldiers in the field to a digital device like a pda or laptop.

The agency is called on to help with security preparations for large political and sporting events and is routinely involved in the humanitarian response to disasters. The president approved a plan to allow domestic law enforcement agencies to request use of satellite images and NGA mapping expertise for criminal investigations. Because of the warrantless wiretapping program, there are concerns about misuse of powerful spy satellites. But the director of NGA assured me that there is a through procedure in place for examining requests. But the agencies bread and butter is its capability to provide troops in the field and decisionmakers back home, with the maps, images and analysis needed to fight our enemies effectively and prevent them from causing harm.

For more reading about the domestic surveillance program check out these websites:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118714764716998275.html
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1187188414685.shtm
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=14821