While official policy discourages Marines from counting the people they have killed, the custom continues. In nearly two weeks of conflict here, the corporal from a Midwestern city has emerged as the top sniper, with 24 confirmed kills. By comparison, the top Marine Corps sniper in Vietnam killed 103 people in 16 months.
"As a sniper your goal is to completely demoralize the enemy," he said. "I couldn't have asked to be in a better place. I just got lucky, to be here at the right time and with the right training."
The military has asked that sniper names not be published. Insurgents were said to have placed a bounty for the killing of any Marine sniper.
"If you're going to be a sniper," said the corporal, "you just have to accept the things that come with it."
Gee, I wonder where the "insurgents" are getting the money from? I bet most of them getting shot are the idiots who think dancing about waving an RPG confers godhood, when in actuality it's targetdom...talk about demoralizing...