There is a place within the white house, where the President keeps a close watch on all the major activity of the world. This is a situation room. Intelligence information from all over the world continues to reach the underground command center below the West Wing. And as soon as terrorist attacks or war are inkling, decisions start to be taken from here. The plan to kill Osama bin Laden was made here, and the top officials, including the then President sitting here, took the real time update of Operation Neptune Spear.
It seems from the name that it will be a single room, but in reality it is a structure spread in five thousand square feet. From the watch station to conference rooms, there are also remains here. This is a kind of war room, from where all major decisions are taken. The need was being felt since the year 1898, when the fight between America and Spain was going on.
Because of this this intelligence corner
Later it got shape in the year 1961. This was the time when the real rage in America and Cuba was stuck. The US attacked Cuba but had to face the mouth. The then President John F. Kennedy admitted that it would not have happened if the US had strong intelligence. Just from here, the idea came that there should be a place in the white house that can monitor the 24×7 activities around the world and take immediate decisions if needed. The situation room made from here.
An army of about 130 people is deployed here, which is divided. Everyone’s work is to monitor different parts. There are five watch teams here, which track the whole world in a 24 -hour shift. There is a travel support team. Where the President or the rest of the VIPs go, their Secure Route, Intel and Alert are all managed from here. The communication team is different. The officers working here are not common, but are elected people from army and intelligence, who are also fast and very reliable.
What do these people do
In any part of the world, there is something big, attack, coup, missile launch or natural trouble, they immediately inform the top layer of the white house. Also react fast as to what to do.
This is how the day starts
A typical day of the situation room begins by preparing a morning book. Consider it a kind of newspaper, but in which apart from the things seen in front, there are also information about the events coming tomorrow. It is a super secret intelligence briefing prepared for the President, Vice-President and Top Officers. Its importance is so much that it is sent in the car of the National Security Advisor, when they leave for the white house in the morning.
With this briefing, it is decided that the President will call the leader of which country, whether to give any warning, whether an operation is to be planned or just to keep an eye on. All these things are decided in the situation room.
How safe is this place
Its campus is below the ground in the white house so that the nuclear attack can be avoided. The walls, doors, technology, all are electromagnetic interferance proof here. That is, the setup of here is such that it does not allow any electromagnetic wave in the outside, nor can the inside thing go out.
Which big operations were carried out
– The operation went from here to eliminate Osama bin Laden. America’s Special Force Seal Team went on 6 mission. Then the top officials, including the then President Obama, did live monitoring in the situation room. During this operation of about 40 minutes, the American leadership was aware of one minute each.
– The first emergency meeting after 9/11 attacks took place here. On receiving the information of the attack, there was a meeting of the National Security Council and all the decisions were taken.
Apart from these, the strategy of Iraq war to Iran nuclear deal was decided here. After nearly 2 decades, the decision of the US Army’s return from Afghanistan was also taken in the situation room.