Sniper shot that took out an insurgent killer from three quarters of a mile

telegraph ^ | 01/01/2006 | Toby Harnden in Ramadi

[BallyBill]

Martin Riggs ran into some of them Shadow Co. guys back in '69. He killed a guy from 1.5 miles or was that K's? I think I watch too many movies.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

I'm sure that the bad guys aren't worring about having "post traumatic shock syndrome" doing their job.

Given that the bad guys are uncivilized, cowardly illegal combatants steeped in the psychopathologies of either Islamofascism or Marxism, I agree.

[joem15]

The whole article seems a bit PC to me. Since when do we name names of soldiers, especially snipers who have taken out the enemy, and publish pictures of them on the Internet?

Read the article again and pick up the code words:

"Although killing with a single shot carries an enormous cachet". OK, snipers relate to the "Cachet" of what they are doing all the time.

"spitting out a mouthful of chewing tobacco". Maybe the more sensitive, PC reader, will conjure up an image from the movie "Deliverance" and get the real message that the writer is trying to convey.

I am sorry, but something doesn't pass the smell test here.

I love our troops, who are making the supreme sacrifice in their military service to our country, but there is something bogus about this article.

There is too much information in this article that would never have been released by the units involved.

[SLB]

Any idea of what ammunition they use? Did he use any type of hand-held ballistic computer with built-in laser range finder?

[Drammach]

From the article:

"I believe it is the longest confirmed kill in Iraq with a 7.62mm rifle," said Staff Sgt Gilliland, 28,...

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

I agree with both of you......

[Ninian Dryhope]

Thank you, Gilliland and Arnold. A job well done.

[SLB]

"I believe it is the longest confirmed kill in Iraq with a 7.62mm rifle,"

I read that, I wanted to know if the ammuntion was anything special? 165 grain? 150 grain? Did he use a LRF and then compute the ballistics from that or did he just use Kentucky windage?

[Dustbunny]

GOD Bless him and keep him safe.

GOD Bless our Military and keep them safe.

[Squantos]

Used to be federal 168gr match....could be a DODIC of M118 for all I know these days .....

Merry New Year SLB !!

I'm off to launch some fireworks at midnight !

[Ninian Dryhope]

"Could be wrong, but his comments seem a bit defeatist and PC."

That blather is for the consumption of a foreign media type and his foreign audience. He wants them to think that we are killing the terrorists in a thoughtful, meaningful way. To own guys, he tells them to kill the $hit out of the bad guys.

[SLB]

I thought they used the Federal 168 gr, but was not certain.

We are having the normal wild party tonight. Daughter and son-in-law are over, the two youngest daughters have friends in. We are having about 5 types of dip, etc and getting ready for the guys to slaughter the gals in our annual game of Trivia Pursuit. I plan on hitting the hay by around 11:00 the kids wake me up at 12:00 and I am back asleep by 12:05. Exciting life we live isn't it?

[middie]

''belly-aching?''; Amazingly crass! How many days did you spend where bullets, AAA or missiles were flying with you as their preferred recipient? The kids in today's hostile environment have no FLOT (forward line of troops) or safe haven areas, theirs' is a all-enveloping, 360 degree hot zone in which the guy behind the fig table in the marketplace at noon is the same guy picking up his AK with you in mind two hours later.

Medical and psychiatric science have made light-years of progress into the mental health and treatment of men and women who've experienced the necessary and unavoidable trauma of close-in combat. The personal consequences of fighting a war through a rifle sight and house-to-house is far, far different than for many of us who carried on the fight from thousands of feet over where the effect of their war fighting skills was being felt during the day or at night where the only thing seen is a flash (and, if lucky, a secondary explosion. Even being involved in a CAS (close air support--for ground forces) operation happens so fast that being informed of the results of one's effort by radio, by follow-on recce (reconnaissance) photos or later by someone's eye witness report is just about the only knowledge the aviator has. Of course, often seeing the target burning is possible, but the actual scene of the effect on the gound to humans is impossible unless someone has really clear camera footage.

Grunts belly-aching? A truly incredible, thoughtless and uninformed comment.

[Squantos]

You earned every right to relax and enjoy it SLB......:o)

Happy New Year Sir !

I will check back in late ...gotta get for now !

BTW spoke with Jeff Head a few ago on the phone and he's in your old stomping grounds this evening, Laramie WY, en route through here tomorrow for dinner.....and then on to him Mom's !

NITE !

[SmithL]

One bullet and one dead terrorist. That works for me.

[Beagle8U]

They may be using federal brass and bullets, but most sniper ammo is hand loaded under strict conditions, weighing every bullet and powder charge.

[M Kehoe]

Good post.

Col John Gronski, the overall United States commander in Ramadi, said there could not be a military solution. "You could spend years putting snipers out and killing IED emplacers and at the political level it would make no difference."

I don't know Col. I know you're on the ground, but just look at the last election, and decreasing casualty rates. Plus, if you kill enough of them (terrorists), two things usually happen: Either the young'ens stop planting IEDs, or you run out off young'ens.

Oh, Col Gronski one other thing. I can't find the word "emplacers" anywhere.

5.56mm

[mrmargaritaville]

One can only hope that the target suffered.

[caveat emptor]

I'm sure that the bad guys aren't worring about having "post traumatic shock syndrome" doing their job.

I'm sure you're right. Under certain conditions there can be PTSS, my dad included. He was a tank commander for 3 years in WWII - North Africa, Normandy, Battle of the Bulge and on to Berlin. Lost lots of tanks and friends. Doubt he worried about the Krauts, though.

But killing a terrorist in Iraq? Ha.

[skimask]

The barret can cause damage even if the round misses the target. If the round passes within inches of the intended target, it can sever a limb.