[Travis McGee]

You have to appreciate the surgeon's scalpel that these snipers represent. In a situation where every collateral damage death demands a revenge killing, you really do not want to fire heavy weapons if at all possible. The sniper who can shoot the armed bad guy in the middle of a city without harming the civilians around him is the perfect weapon.

[river rat]

The writer of this article, mentions there are four weapons available to the shooters, but he only mentioned three in the article..M4, M14, M24...

He left out the Ace of Spades, the .50 BMG chambered rifle.
One recently returned shooter explained his preference for the .50, even when the range or target didn't dictate that cartridge - was that it "left a hell of a mess for his friends to clean up"...

Torso separations were not uncommon...

Semper Fi

[American in Israel]

In a situation where every collateral damage death demands a revenge killing...

Revenge killing will take place, deaths or not. If you do not kill a soldier he will kill you, if you kill him another will cry revenge. If you withdraw, they cry Jihad and Kill your family. If they have no reason, they will invent one, just like a gang-banger yelling you are "dissin" him.

They are the same criminal mentality...

[wardaddy]

Murfreesboro (My Mom's town) Bump!

[Lurker]

Plus it's demoralizing as hell to the bad guys when the guy egging them on waving an AK all of a sudden falls to the ground with a hole in his chest.

Scout/sniper bump.

Semper Fi.

L

[Mulder]

Thanks for the ping.

You have to appreciate the surgeon's scalpel that these snipers represent.

It takes a tremendous amount of skill to do that, as wind, temperature, humidity, etc.... must all be taken into account when shooting at long ranges.