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Afghan Marksmen - Forget the Fables

Started by Habbaku, March 26, 2010, 11:01:03 AM

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Syt

I am, somehow, less interested in the weight and convolutions of Einstein's brain than in the near certainty that people of equal talent have lived and died in cotton fields and sweatshops.
—Stephen Jay Gould

Proud owner of 42 Zoupa Points.

Mr.Penguin

I think that one of the reasons for the lack of marksmanship, among the Taliban is the fact that they employ mostly young local punks to do much of the fighting. $1000 for the family and a well used AK-47 clone, and a new Taliban fighter is born. Seasoned fighters is after 10 years of fighting in short supply...

Also as they have lost most of their safe heavens, doesnt they have the training facilities they used to have... 
Real men drag their Guns into position

Spell check is for losers

jimmy olsen

Quote from: Habbaku on March 26, 2010, 11:01:03 AM
I found this article/blog post to be a pretty engaging read about the inadequacies of the Afghan riflemen on both sides.  During the Victorian period and up until WW I, these guys were renowned as amongst the best by the British running up against them.  Now?  Not so much.


Tainted.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1265320/Deadly-Taliban-sniper-stalks-British-troops-echoes-Hollywood-blockbuster.html#ixzz0kuF2zHgb

QuoteHunt for Taliban sniper who has shot dead seven British troops in 5-month killing spree

By Matt Fortune
Last updated at 12:00 PM on 12th April 2010

It echoes the plot of a Hollywood blockbuster, but the deaths of seven British troops at the hands of a highly-trained and highly-skilled Afghan sniper in Sangin is a very real problem.

During a five-month killing spree, the sniper has stalked the 3rd Battalion, the Rifles, picking off individuals including a British sniper who was on the lookout for the shooter himself.

Three of those killed were considered among the best in their field.

Now the SAS is hunting the sniper who is stalking them across the streets of the city considered the most dangerous in Afghanistan.

The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

Sharp shooters: Snipers are a vital tool in Britain's fight and the loss of several has been a blow (pictured, Irish Defence forces 99th Infantry battalion)

It is thought the Taliban killer may have been trained in neighbouring Iran or by Al-Qaeda operatives in Pakistan. His youngest victim was just 19.

'Their sniper is giving us real problems and we've not yet worked out how to take him down,' said a senior British Army officer who recently visited the town in Helmand province.

'Our snipers are some of the best-trained and capable soldiers we have. When you lose one it is telling you something.'

Another soldier added: 'The Taliban sniper must watch our guys for days to wait for the best situation to open fire and still make his escape.

'So far he has not been taken down, even though the SAS have carried out several forays into the area.'

In total some 53 British servicemen have been killed in the vacinity of Sangin in the last 12 months, with 12 times the average casualty rate for Nato forces in the country

The senior officer added: 'There seem to be enough spy drones and troops for the size of area. The conclusion is the Taliban have outside help — from either Iran or Al-Qaeda in Pakistan — to train up their guys.'

Major-General Gordon Messenger, UK spokesman for operations in Afghanistan, said: 'The casualty toll in Sangin is tragically high but our forces remain very much on the front foot and are determined to maintain the progress that they and their predecessors have achieved.
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
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CountDeMoney

Quote from: Syt on March 27, 2010, 03:14:19 AM
This is more on the spot, though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zL9AKXxDW0&annotation_id=annotation_919890&feature=iv

Failiban: "We don't care about our lives!" ... "And it's cold, too!"

That's a hilarious video.  Reminds me of Spinal Tap, when the band gets lost under the stage in Cleveland.

CountDeMoney

Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2010, 10:47:59 PM
The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

Christ, modern journalism sucks so bad.

jimmy olsen

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 14, 2010, 05:19:00 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2010, 10:47:59 PM
The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

Christ, modern journalism sucks so bad.
At least it's so bad it's funny.
It is far better for the truth to tear my flesh to pieces, then for my soul to wander through darkness in eternal damnation.

Jet: So what kind of woman is she? What's Julia like?
Faye: Ordinary. The kind of beautiful, dangerous ordinary that you just can't leave alone.
Jet: I see.
Faye: Like an angel from the underworld. Or a devil from Paradise.
--------------------------------------------
1 Karma Chameleon point

Warspite

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 14, 2010, 05:19:00 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2010, 10:47:59 PM
The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

Christ, modern journalism sucks so bad.

Even the editing sucks.
" SIR – I must commend you on some of your recent obituaries. I was delighted to read of the deaths of Foday Sankoh (August 9th), and Uday and Qusay Hussein (July 26th). Do you take requests? "

OVO JE SRBIJA
BUDALO, OVO JE POSTA

Ed Anger

Wait a minute. Tim, the KING OF TAINT calling something tainted? I call bullshit.
Stay Alive...Let the Man Drive

Siege

Why do I get the feeling that Monkeybutt pwns Timothy?



"All men are created equal, then some become infantry."

"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't."

"Laissez faire et laissez passer, le monde va de lui même!"


Lucidor

Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2010, 10:47:59 PM
Quote from: Habbaku on March 26, 2010, 11:01:03 AM
I found this article/blog post to be a pretty engaging read about the inadequacies of the Afghan riflemen on both sides.  During the Victorian period and up until WW I, these guys were renowned as amongst the best by the British running up against them.  Now?  Not so much.


Tainted.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1265320/Deadly-Taliban-sniper-stalks-British-troops-echoes-Hollywood-blockbuster.html#ixzz0kuF2zHgb

QuoteHunt for Taliban sniper who has shot dead seven British troops in 5-month killing spree

He has a few more before he gets promoted to the higher league.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

grumbler

Quote from: Lucidor on April 14, 2010, 11:11:27 AM
QuoteHunt for Taliban sniper who has shot dead seven British troops in 5-month killing spree

He has a few more before he gets promoted to the higher league.
I thought you were going to mock the idea of a 5-month "killing spree" in which a mere 7 people were killed.

Quotehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4
That record always has had a strong odor of bullshit to me.  He killed a lot of people, for sure, but those kills were not "confirmed" by any reasonable standard, and the tacking on of hundreds more "probable kills" doesn't freshen the air.
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!

Lucidor

Quote from: grumbler on April 14, 2010, 11:53:48 AM
I thought you were going to mock the idea of a 5-month "killing spree" in which a mere 7 people were killed.

The expression is stretched rather thin, yes. I'm guessing the Coalition has a few snipers of his calibre already.

Quote
That record always has had a strong odor of bullshit to me.  He killed a lot of people, for sure, but those kills were not "confirmed" by any reasonable standard, and the tacking on of hundreds more "probable kills" doesn't freshen the air.

True, but he was the first name I came up with.

Siege



"All men are created equal, then some become infantry."

"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't."

"Laissez faire et laissez passer, le monde va de lui même!"


Razgovory

I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

DisturbedPervert

Quote from: CountDeMoney on April 14, 2010, 05:19:00 AM
Quote from: jimmy olsen on April 13, 2010, 10:47:59 PM
The scene is chillingly reminiscent to the storyline of the 2001 film Enemy at the Gates, in which Jude Law and Ed Harris play rival Soviet and German snipers stalking each other across Stalingrad during World War II.

Christ, modern journalism sucks so bad.

At least he's making a reference to something most reporters actually know something about, movies