Google is talking with military agencies after learning that terrorists attacking British bases in Basra, Iraq, appear to have been using aerial footage from Google Earth. It appears that among documents seized in raids on insurgents' homes, were printouts from Google Earth showing the location of buildings, tents, latrines and lightly armored vehicles. Precise longitude and latitude coordinates were also going to be used in the attacks.
"This is evidence, as far as we are concerned, for planning terrorist attacks. We believe they use Google Earth to identify the most vulnerable areas, such as tents," said an intelligence officer with the Royal Green Jackets battle group.
A few Royal Green Jackets soldiers have said they would consider suing Google if they were injured in an attack possible because of Google Earth.
Google’s response to the problem: "Of course we are always ready to listen to governments' requests. We have opened channels with the military in Iraq, but we are not prepared to discuss what we have discussed with them. But we do listen and we are sensitive to requests."
News source: News.com
"This is evidence, as far as we are concerned, for planning terrorist attacks. We believe they use Google Earth to identify the most vulnerable areas, such as tents," said an intelligence officer with the Royal Green Jackets battle group.
A few Royal Green Jackets soldiers have said they would consider suing Google if they were injured in an attack possible because of Google Earth.
Google’s response to the problem: "Of course we are always ready to listen to governments' requests. We have opened channels with the military in Iraq, but we are not prepared to discuss what we have discussed with them. But we do listen and we are sensitive to requests."
News source: News.com
You have to understand that Google Earth is made up of a composite of various sources. Most of the data you see on Google Earh comes from public or commercialy available satalite services, but around urban areas and other points of interest the data is supplemented by aerial photography. Naturally, the military doesn't permit commerical operators to fly though (much less photograph over) restricted military airspace. So, when you try and zoom in on most military installations (there are a few exceptions) in Ggogle Earth the level of detail is not as good as it may be in other places.
Nobody's deleting or withholding the relevant images, OK? There's just not any aerial photography available for those kinds of sites, for obvious reasons.
Actually, they are. If you zoom in some bases, you will see large squares missing with everything surrounding it for miles fully zoom able.
"I'm going to sue McDonald's! I ate there every day for 10 years and now the man from the Scooter Store is my best friend!"
"I'm going to sue God! He gave me these eyes, and I used them to scout for strategic bombing targets!"
"I'm going to sue myself! I made me think these awful things!"
Once again, freedom and technology is impaired/crippled/denied/restricted/etc.
ChocIST
If it's the general layout of the base you are after, I'm sure there's better ways to go about getting that than looking at a blurry Google Earth image. I have no idea what those better ways would be, but really; How hard could it be? Hell, you can probably find all that in the Jane's Information Group database anyways, so why all the noise over Google Earth?
You would have about as much chance of successfully executing a mortar attack against a British army base using just Google Earth data as you have of walking your way across the Atlantic. In short, it would be suicidal and pointless. Take my word for it: You'd be shot dead long before you got anywhere near being in range to launch your mortars. No, if a terrorist ever does try to use a mortar to carry out a terrorist attack against a western military installation, you can bet that Goggle Earth will NOT be his prime source of intelligence data. I mean, just how stupid do you think they are?
Insurgents? Why not just out and call them spineless terrorists? That's what they are.
There are numerous places that Google has already removed from its detailed reslution maps at Goverment request. Googles not mind readers and do not employ people to review all maps for the chance that something "MIGHT" have been photographed from space that people didn't want published. They just take third party maps and incorperate it intop their product/software.
I know Google does listen to goverment request as I can find numerous places that are blanked out at certain resolutions due to national security concerns. But all those places were properly thought of in advance instead of waiting until after the fact.
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