Snipers to Iraq

I'm not sure why this took so long. The value of snipers was pretty thoroughly established by "Whitefeather", Carlos Hathcock, the legendary Marine sniper of the Vietnam war era.

FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Army News Service, Jan. 13, 2005)― The 42nd Infantry Division has deployed to Iraq with what leaders term a powerful, yet subtle, combat-multiplier — the sniper-trained Soldiers of the division’s 173rd Long Range Surveillance Detachment, and their newly-issued M-14 rifles.

“The rifle gives the Soldiers the ability to engage targets out to 800 meters. Once the word gets out to the insurgents that the Soldiers have that capacity, they will be less likely to get inside the 400- to 500-meter range and engage with RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades) or medium machine guns.” - Lt. Col. Richard Ellwanger

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