Free Republic

FALLUJAH, Iraq - Taking a short breather Friday, the 21-year-old Marine corporal explained what it was like to practice his lethal skill in the battle for this city. "It's a sniper's dream," he said. "You can go anywhere, and there are so many ways to fire at the enemy without him knowing where you are." The role of snipers has become a significant tactic for Marines in this "Sunni Triangle" city. Marine experts say Fallujah is among the most "target-rich" battlefields for snipers since the World War II battle for Stalingrad, during which German and Russian snipers dueled for months....

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(Jan. 15, 2004) -- For one Marine Corps sniper, the easy part of sweeping the 2003 Armed Forces Skill-at-Arms Meeting sniper competition was picking off the most highly trained and best-equipped marksmen from the United States armed services and those of our closest military allies. The real challenge was just getting there. With more than a decade of experience and training as a Marine sniper, Marine Corps Rifle Team assistant head coach and competitor, Gunnery Sgt. Rodney L. Abbott, was looking forward to a strong showing at the AFSAM sniper competition held Oct. 11 to 17...