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(Reverted edits by 69.7.104.67 (talk) to last version by ChaosTheory07) |
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[[Image:Third Echelon.jpg|thumb|right|Third Echelon's official seal]]
For the past five decades, the NSA has engaged in the passive collection of moving data, intercepting communications en route. But as sophisticated digital encryption becomes more commonplace throughout the world, passive collection is deemed insufficient. The NSA launches a top-secret initiative, '''Third Echelon''', marks a return to classical methods of espionage, backed by the latest in cutting-edge technology for the aggressive collection of stored data deeply behind enemy lines. No longer filtering the world through satellites and antennas (SIGINT), Third Echelon field operatives codenamed 'Splinter Cells' physically infiltrate dangerous and
Third Echelon 'Splinter Cells' prime directives are the following:
The NSA is the United States' cryptologic oversight organization. It coordinates, directs, and performs highly technological activities to protect U.S. information systems and produce foreign intelligence information. In response to the growing use of sophisticated digital encryption to conceal potential threats to the national security of the United States, in the virtual world, the NSA has ushered forth a new dawn of top-secret intelligence-gathering techniques, beginning in 2003. Third Echelon marks a return to classical methods of espionage, enhanced with leading-edge surveillance and combat technology for the aggressive collection of stored data in hostile territories, rather than through signals intelligence, satellite intelligence, or other techniques physically less risky.
Since the NSA is a U.S. government agency tasked with breaking codes and intercepting signal traffic, its operatives typically monitor transmissions sent all over the world, scouring them for anything that could pose a threat to national security. In the virtual world, Third Echelon is the internal black-ops unit which the NSA uses when critical intelligence cannot be obtained by passive means. Third Echelon resolves the situation by conducting so-called "physical operations" — a euphemism for direct action. To do so, Third Echelon deploys elite
The first recruit of the Splinter Cell program was Samuel "Sam" Fisher, the protagonist in the series. These lone field operatives are supported by a remote team. They are used in situations where more than one operative — even though highly secret — would arouse too much attention. They infiltrate secure installations, seize critical intelligence, destroy dangerous data or equipment, and neutralize the enemy as needed, without leaving a trace. The doctrine of Third Echelon is that although killing may compromise secrecy, "the choice between leaving either a witness or a corpse is no choice at all".
Splinter Cells are very unusual people, even when compared with "ordinary" special operators or "ordinary" spies without official cover. They have extraordinary training and skill, are mind-numbingly precise, they deal with grave stress and risk, and they know that a single mistake could be fatal to them. Due to the complexities of their operations Splinter Cells undergo
Due to political
Originally, Splinter Cells operated alone, although later developments (2006) indicated that at least two-man squads were being used. The ability to operate in this manner is referred to as the "Fifth Freedom" — that is, the freedom to do whatever is deemed necessary to protect the four cornerstones of American moral thought, as defined in one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's famous speeches. Roosevelt articulated these as "freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear." Under the unofficial Fifth Freedom, an operative may disregard any law, agreement, or framework of ethical behavior in order to protect the other four. For example, the operative may kill in combat or by assassination, may torture or kidnap people, may deploy on U.S. soil, may spy on other U.S. government agencies, etc. The downside is that if an operative is captured or killed, the U.S. government will disavow them — either by claiming that the person has gone rogue, or by denying that they even existed. Mission objectives and locations vary, but a Splinter Cells basic goal is to infiltrate the area of operations (AO), do the required things there, and then escape without being detected. Special Reconnaissance is the Splinter Cells core competency.
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