A paper in the NYT, 3-D Maps From Commercial Satellites Guide G.I.'s in Iraq's Deadliest Urban Mazes: the Army has been using a new weapon that combines software with imagery beamed from satellites to make missions somewhat less unpredictable.

Taking soldiers into any urban environment is hazardous. But the Army has been using a new tool before going into Iraq's restive cities, like Mosul and Falluja, that helps officers answer critical questions and make their missions somewhat less unpredictable. The new weapon is called the Urban Tactical Planner, which combines advanced computer software tools with high-resolution imagery that is beamed down to earth from a new generation of commercial satellites.