October 31, 2007:
While
roadside bombs account for about half the American casualties in Iraq, gunfire
causes about 30 percent, and an increasing number of those shots are from
snipers. Over the last three years, Iraqi snipers have gotten much better. They
don't go for head shots that much anymore, but for easier to hit targets, like
arms and legs (the trunk is protected by armor that will often stop sniper
rifle bullets.) The Iraqi snipers have been getting professional training,
either from al Qaeda men with military training (the best being Chechens who
attended the excellent Russian sniper schools) or Iranians. This means that as
soon as the Iraqi sniper has fired his shot, he moves. Depending on the
situation (how many Americans are in the area), he will leave the vicinity, or
go to another prepared firing position. Like professional snipers, the Iraqi
snipers often operate teams, with another man to act as a spotter and bodyguard
for the shooter.
While U.S. troops have used
electronic sniper detector equipment to quickly locate Iraqis shooting at them,
taking out the professional snipers is more of a job for detectives
(intelligence personnel). The growing number of competent Iraqi police and
troops makes this easier. The Iraqi security forces can query civilians in an
area where enemy snipers are operating, and then chase down the gunmen, either
on the job, or at their safe house.
While U.S. forces has
thousands of snipers in Iraq at any time, commanders are still learning how
best to use them. The American snipers are very professional, but troop leaders
often have a lot to learn about how to best use snipers. The most informed
commanders let their snipers "go hunting," providing troops for transportation
or support as needed. A sniper hunter-killer team can often catch Iraqi snipers
and kill them. And even if they don't, the U.S. snipers often come back with
lots of useful information on what is going on in the area. That's one reason
the marines call many of their shooters, "scout-snipers."