U.S. Snipers Seen As 'Weapons' in Iraq

AP via Washington Times ^ | April 19, 2004 | Denis D. Gray

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

NAJAF, Iraq (AP) -- A U.S. Army patrol stops suspicious vehicles on the edges of this insurgent-controlled city.

Some 500 yards away, lying prone and hidden in the sand, two expert marksmen stalk Iraqis emerging from cars through the cross-hairs of their rifles.

[duk]

I have always believed that every squad should have a sharpshooter. A grunt with an m-14 who can hang a few yards back and cover an advance is a great advantage. They don't need a 500 meter shooter, just a good shooter who if nothing else can accurately supress.

A nice m-16 variant would also do the trick. A squad could move faster and with greater confidence knowing that someone was doing true "overwatch."

[B4Ranch]

Snipers are smart enough to lie about their names and even go to the extent of wearing false names on their cammos. You're not looking at idiots here, Folks,

[B4Ranch]

"Maximum Effective Range: 800 meters

What happens at 801 meters? The bullet stops in mid air I suppose.

[beachn4fun]

Isn't it wonderful how the American media is so determined to let every evil trouble-maker know EXACTLY what our military is doing, at all times? And, people wonder how Sadam could have had so much time to get rid of the evidence! Gee, our media gave him advanced notice. The terrorists favorite people! God save us.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

The difference between Vietnam and Iraq is the "suits" today are Rumsfeld and his close allies are "micro managing" the transformation of the military into something different. Leaner, faster, pick your buzz phrase.

The Army is fighting this all the way like only a military beauracracy can.

The micro-managing during Vietnam was LBJ literally planning bombing runs whereas now the imposed limitations aren'e coming from the Oval Office but the Generals themselves.

[nightdriver]

"What happens at 801 meters? The bullet stops in mid air I suppose."

I agree that it is totally arbitrary. It's just the military's way of doing things.

[B4Ranch]

Naw, that's just their way of saying, Come on you fools check it out at 1600 meters."

[em2vn]

We are looking at idiots. The ones in the news media who would show the faces of military personnel in a war zone. The bigger idiots are the ones who haven't issued orders that all contact is to be with authrorized spokesmen only.
The field personnel should not be talking with members of the news media.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

Always with the negative waves, Moriarty.

How many Devildogs have you demoralized today?

[Cannoneer No. 4]

You're CENTCOM PAO now?

[em2vn]

I don't know what that the PAO is. I am nothing more than an old fart who fought in VN.

[TomasUSMC]

Always with the negative waves, Moriarty.
How many Devildogs have you demoralized today?


I am trying to take the handcuffs and chains off the Devil Dogs that our political leaders keep throwing on them.

Demoralizing is when you see your buddy get shot in the side of the head, you see the SOB who shot him run into a stinking Mosque, and you can't do anything at all! THAT IS DEf***INGMORALIZING.

THEN, being told to go build and paint these same MotherF***ers, a new stinking School where the children will be taught to hate you. THAT IS DEMORALIZING.

THEN TO SEE YOUR OFFICERS HANDING OUT CASH TO THESE SCUMBAGS.

And then to be told NOT to advance against the enemy because the enemy, the same ones who have mutilated burned and hung up your fellow countrymen, are to be trusted to turn in their heavy arms.

Your Welcome.

[Charles Martel]

What happens at 801 meters? The bullet stops in mid air I suppose.

Sounds a bit arbitrary; like perhaps a NATO-specified performance distance for helmet penetration - or something like that. Obviously, the bullet is still "effective" past that range. Just not *as* effective.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

I am trying to take the handcuffs and chains off the Devil Dogs that our political leaders keep throwing on them.

How?

What handcuffs? What chains?

Which political leaders? Name them.

Bitterness, cynicism, and contempt for the chain of command serve who, exactly?

[verity]

#44

Automatic flesh wound. :~)

[geopyg]

Their was an article in the Seattle Times (original from the Los Angeles Times) on Sunday, April 18th. that maybe you can get up on FR (I don't know how). Entitled "Snipers are strategic weapons in Fallujah".

Some noteworthy quotes from the Marine sniper they spoke with: On his first kill: "It felt good to do my job, good to take a bad guy out."

"Sometimes a guy will go down, and I'll let him scream a bit to destroy the morale of his buddies, then I'll use a second shot".

"It's a sniper's dream. You can go anywhere and there are so many ways to fire at the enemy without him knowing where you are."

"When I go hunting for whitetail, it's for food and sport. Here when I go hunting, it's personal, very personal".

In the two weeks he has been in Fallujah, this Marine is the top sniper with 24 kills. In Vietnam the top Marine sniper had 103 kills in 16 motnths.

Prayers for our boys in Iraq who must do the hard and dirty work of war, and that they may be successful and escape harm.

[geopyg]

There was an article in the Seattle Times (original from the Los Angeles Times) on Sunday, April 18th. that maybe you can get up on FR (I don't know how). Entitled "Snipers are strategic weapons in Fallujah".

Some noteworthy quotes from the Marine sniper they spoke with: On his first kill: "It felt good to do my job, good to take a bad guy out."

"Sometimes a guy will go down, and I'll let him scream a bit to destroy the morale of his buddies, then I'll use a second shot".

"It's a sniper's dream. You can go anywhere and there are so many ways to fire at the enemy without him knowing where you are."

"When I go hunting for whitetail, it's for food and sport. Here when I go hunting, it's personal, very personal".

In the two weeks he has been in Fallujah, this Marine is the top sniper with 24 kills. In Vietnam the top Marine sniper had 103 kills in 16 motnths.

Prayers for our boys in Iraq who must do the hard and dirty work of war, and that they may be successful and escape harm.

[MamaLucci]

A few months ago my husband met a young man through his
business who is from Scotland, and a former sharpshooter
for the Scottish military. He had just recently become
a US citizen, so that he could go to Iraq to serve as a sniper
(I can't recall for which branch of the military). My hubby told
him how impressed he was that he would volunteer
to go and fight for the United States.
This young fellow told him that "I've been training for this my entire life".
He is able to hit his target, dead on, from a distance my
hubby figured out to be the length of 15 football fields!
Absolutely amazing.

[Ronzo]

Say, isn't that one of those fancy M-14 sniper rifle custom jobs? Nice to see the M-14 is still in the hands of combat troops...

The Marines seem to like them to. Check out this post:
New rifle a bull's-eye with Marine snipers -- 26th MEU crack shots fire first with DMR M-14