Wikileaks releases SECRET State Dept cable on Santa's midnight ride

[kpete]

Wikileaks releases SECRET State Dept cable on Santa's midnight ride
by John Aravosis (DC) on 12/24/2010 02:05:00 PM

VZCZCXYZ0003
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHC #9224 1832255
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O P 242233Z DEC 10
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE 4232
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 1978
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME IMMEDIATE 1344
RUEHAM/AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE 7376
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA IMMEDIATE 5616
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0911
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 3702
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON IMMEDIATE 0440
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 0781
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 0441
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM IMMEDIATE 1599
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 WASHINGTON 000541

NOFORN
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR NEA/ELA
NSC FOR ABRAMS/SINGH

EO 12958 DECL: 08/03/2028
TAGS PGOV, PTER, SY, LE, IS
SUBJECT: HOW NORAD TRACKS SANTA

Classified By: Pol/Econ Counselor Tim Pounds for reasons 1.4(b,d)

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Summary
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¶1. (S/NF) Annual yuletide visitor Saint Nicholas (aka Santa Claus) has been spotted in the Far East cities of Tokyo, Manila, Jakarta, and Sydney. According to the radar array at Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Claus is currently traveling across China, and was last seen heading west towards Kazahkstan. HUMINT and ELINT reveal for the first time ever just how the United States NORAD facility tracks Santa's Christmas eve ride. End summary.

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Norad's Silent Night
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¶2. The North American Aerospace Command, NORAD, has been tracking Santa's Christmas eve ride for 55 years. While NORAD is silent about just how it tracks jolly old Saint Nick, inside sources report to the Associated Press that the American military agency uses a combination of "ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras," radar, satellites and Canadian Forces fighter jets.

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Radar
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¶3. (S/NF) HUMINT reveals that the tracking of Santa begins with the NORAD radar system called the North Warning System. This powerful radar system consists of 47 installations strung across the northern border of North America. On December 24th, NORAD monitors the radar systems continuously for indications that Santa Claus has left the North Pole.

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Satellites
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¶4. (S/NF) ELINT reveals that the third tracking system is the Santa Cam network. Pentagon sources report that NORAD began using it in 1998, which is the year the put its Santa Tracking program on the internet. Santa Cams are reportedly ultra-cool, high-tech, high-speed digital cameras that are pre-positioned at many locations around the world. NORAD only uses these cameras once a year in order to avoid running afoul of strict European privacy laws. The cameras capture images and videos of Santa and his reindeer as they make their journey around the world.

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Fighter Jets
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¶5. (S/NF) The fourth system is made up of fighter jets. Canadian NORAD fighter pilots flying the CF-18 intercept and welcome Santa to North America. In the United States, American NORAD fighter pilots in either the F-15 or the F-16 get the thrill of flying alongside Santa and his famous reindeer: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and, of course, Rudolph.

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Probable Short-term Reaction
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¶6. (S/NF) The most likely default reaction from the world's children will be one of awe and wonder.

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Comment
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¶7. (S/NF) As press in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and elsewhere in the region and the world report on NORAD's surveillance of Santa, it will be increasingly difficult for the North American agency to keep a lid on its wintery high-tech surveillance means.

http://www.americablog.com/2010/12/wikileaks-releases-secret-state-dept.html

[FirstLight]

1. perfect!!!

love this, my kids are getting a kick out of the google maps portions of it...

[demosincebirth]

2. I'll be darned!