"However, the move by the Pentagon simply to resort to buying exclusive rights to all the Ikonos pictures could be something of a canny move. Had it just used its legal powers of shutter control instead, the Pentagon might have been confronted by media companies - seeking potentially damaging scoops in the pictures - filing lawsuits under the Freedom of Information Act. The US military does not need the Ikonos pictures because it has six imaging satellites already in orbit, augmented by a seventh launched a few days ago. Four of the satellites are called Keyholes and can see details as small as 10 centimetres (4 inches) across."
http://www.sabawoon.com/articles.asp...detail&id=4871