I sometimes wonder why the insurgents are fielding snipers as well. I hear about roadside bombs, mortar attacks, and rocket ambushes, but nothing about snipers. I would think that they would be highly effective at targeting coalition foot patrols.
My guess why we aren't seeing them is that Saddam probably didn't want a bunch of people in his country with the skills to kill someone at 800 yards. His doubles likely would've agreed with that policy.
Fallujah-a sniper's dream.
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They're where a bunch of sniper attacks early in the occupation. However sniping requires you to have a LOS to the target and the large crack of your rifle is rather attention attracting in a non-survivable way. With a bomb you can plant it and then explode it via cell phone from a car with the windows rolled up and a mortar lets you fire from anywhere within a mile or more of the target, though Iraqi guerrilla mortar accuracy is abominable.
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AdmiralTDM's idiocy has been split.
"It's not evil for God to do it. Or for someone to do it at God's command."- Jonathan Boyd on baby-killing
"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
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"you guys are fascinated with the use of those "rules of logic" to the extent that you don't really want to discussus anything."- GC
"I do not believe Russian Roulette is a stupid act" - Embracer of Darkness
"Viagra commercials appear to save lives" - tharkûn on US health care.
http://www.stardestroyer.net/Mike/RantMode/Blurbs.html
Snipers also have to work alone in a sense. Most infantrymen have their buddies fighting along side them, but when a sniper is shooting he's the only one fireing, and he doesn't have anyone to share the burden with.Glocksman wrote:Snipers have it psychologically easier in the sense that by the time he takes his shot, he knows he's shooting at either someone who is trying to kill him or his buddies (if used in the tactical sense) or someone who has been deemed worthy of death by those higher up the chain (if used in a strategic sense).
But on the other hand, a Sniper has it harder in the sense that his scope puts an up close human face on the target. Reportedly it's different than being in a general firefight because you immediately see up close through the scope the result of your shot.
It's a job that I really don't envy.
On another note, a good thing about snipers is that they're less likely to kill a non-combatant than even a regular infantryman, let alone a bomb.
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Normally a sniper has a spotter to help. They provide protection and even assist with the initial shot. As sniper rifles are not particularly renowned as effective close quarters combat weapons, it is good to have a buddy with an effective close quarters weapon next to you.Snipers also have to work alone in a sense. Most infantrymen have their buddies fighting along side them, but when a sniper is shooting he's the only one fireing, and he doesn't have anyone to share the burden with.
Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes.