[Southack]

"What gives you the strongest feeling for that, his appearance or the newly minted SVD?"

He's white. He's in the Iraqi desert in high Summer. He's wearing a Winter ski mask on his head, but he's got it pulled up for the moment to get a better view (probably surprised by an Apache hovering nearby). Good money says that he drew that mask down moments after that photo was snapped to protect his foreign identity. Notice that he has "soft" skin, not a Sun-hardened desert complexion. He's also got a clean sniper rifle with clean optics, a trick in and of itself in dusty Iraq.

Add it all up and there is a pretty overwhelming chance that he is an imported Chechen mercenary sniper...though he could be an Irish import (IRA freelancer).

5 Legislative Days Left Until The AWB Expires

[timpad]

He's also got a clean sniper rifle with clean optics

Yep, it was that nice, shiny SVD with the new model stock that stood out for me. That's not a rifle that's been sitting around in a Republican Guard barracks for a couple of years...He sure ain't from the 'hood.

[neither-nor]

I've got a bottle of Jack Daniels that says that's a Chechen sniper.

I've got a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black label that says you get to keep your bottle of Jack Daniels