Google goes to war

"The only foreign expert we use is Google Earth," said rebel spokesman Col. Ahmed Omar Bani. Clever quip. Post-Qaddafi, the man might have a future on the international speech circuit. A favorite of the Western press, Bani was commenting on NATO's air intervention (which the rebels welcome) and the prospect of foreign ground troops. Bani, who defected from Qaddafi's Air Force, said the rebels (and Libyans generally) remain firmly opposed to the presence of "any foreign troops, including volunteers from the surrounding countries," according to Foreign Policy magazine. Anyway, you're in the army now, Google. And speaking of their service, I grabbed the above image using Google Earth. It shows what appears to be a pair of Sukhoi Su-17 attack aircraft at the big Libyan Air Force base near Surt (Qaddafi's hometown). If you're curious, check it out yourself at 31°02'18.74" N, 16°36'09.72" E.