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Remember that politics move quickly, and people and their opinions evolve.

Pictures Of Hezbollah’s Airport-Monitoring Containers?

May 2, 2008 · Mustapha Hamoui

Mr. Walid Jumblat refers to a “secret document” which proves that Hezbollah is monitoring the Airport’s runway 17 using containers in Ouzai. (for commentary and details, click here and here )

Since Mr. Jumblat suggested that the containers could be used to shoot down a landing airplane, the matter should be looked into as soon as possible by the authorities. But if you’re curious, I checked the recently-updated Google Earth and found out exactly where those containers could be:

Below is a close-up of the Area marked in red:

Notice how the containers have unhindered access via a wide sand road to the main street.

Update:

Over at LPJ, Blogger Charles makes a valid point:

In Beirut, you don’t even need radar to track aircraft. From any tall building, the naked eye is a decent instrument to use to track incoming aircraft into the airport. Much more can be done the higher up in the mountains one goes. Any radical with a surface to air missile can set up base on the Rmleit al Bayda beach, or any seaside tall building, and take potshots at incoming planes. Send a monitor to Cyprus, infiltrate Cypriot government monitoring systems, or install your own system in the generally ungoverned Turkish Cypriot area and you’ll have even better equipment with which to monitor aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean.