A sniper takes a toll in Iraq.

[sgtmac_46]

The term is used rather loosely, and has been since Viet Nam.

However, the guy had a Dragunov, the standard East Block sniper rifle. He was one of two, so perhaps the other was his spotter...though why at that range one would need a spotter is beyond me. They had a "hide," which actually would have been a pretty good one had the range been longer. I guess the one thing that would perhaps qualify them as befitting the term is the fact that the Army itself is calling them "snipers."

That said, they certainly don't fit a professional Western definition of sniping, otherwise they'd have taken the head shot at that range (or even triple it...the Dragunov isn't all that good)...and had a means of egress that would have kept them from getting caught.

A digression, TGace, but as a cop you might like the "bait car" video on that same page.


Regards,


Steve

Well, they are snipers. Any combatant who primarly engages in this kind of sniping activity, regardless of skill, is a sniper. The fact that sniping has become a western military specialist job aside, anyone can be a sniper with a rifle capable of long range shots and tactics to avoid detection until a target of opportunity presents itself. Sniping is actually has a long tradition in the Islamic world, as the British have found out over their long contact with colonialism in the Islamic world.

 

[michaeledward]

On another message board, a poster has an issue with the body armor situation for the soldiers in Iraq. Apparently, the DOD is not following through with a 2004 law that was designed to reimburse soldiers and their families that purchased body armor for the conflict in Iraq. (it seems the body armor supplied by the military was insufficient for the purpose).

On his discussion, he posted a link to this video.

http://www.optruth.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=251&Itemid=134

Read the follow up. It's important.