Russian attack on country of Georgia
 

Google has blocked all the map features of the country of Georgia which is currently under attack by the Ruskies. The terrain feature still works there are just no map features.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...272217&t=h&z=7

A little history of the conflict:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle4498709.ece

The conflict is front page news here, but the google angle is new to me, thanks.

But why? Do they think the Russians will be helpless without Google mapping? Also, the aerial photographs are still there...

I was wondering if they were doing the Russians a favor by taking down the mapping for the Georgian's or if they were doing a favor to the Georgian's by taking it down so the Russians couldn't use it. Maybe they are claming neutrality and taking it down so no one can say that it was avaiable for use on line by either side.

I think that, were I a citizen of a country that relied on Google Maps for its military interventions, I would be very worried.

No doubt, given that, it must not be as an aid to the Russians. But there is a huge portion of the fighting force that is irregular, so it still may be a tool to some.

Maybe they're simply worried about the accuracy. If Google Maps still show a town where there is now a rubble filled crater it might make people wary of trusting it in future.

maybe they just don't want an IOTD of a guy falling off his bicycle while he is distracted by a bomb blast.

How current is that info? I can't believe that anyone on either side is using Google map data for anything.

Depends on who. Any data is better then no data.

Bad data is better than no data?

Is that your final answer?

If it's useful it's not bad data.

Hmm, does bad data get spanked?

It's front page news here too.

This could turn out very badly.

Some very interesting terrain. Looks like a difficult place to fight.

http://gigigarmendia.files.wordpress...eorgia-map.jpg

http://www.sakartvelopodcast.org/images/geomap.gif

The disputed region in gray, of South Ossetia.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ssetia-map.png