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Thread: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
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01-08-2020, 20:50 #1
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OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
As a 10 year owner of an outdoor shooting range, and above-average shooting background & experience, I offer a small range of skills enhancement courses at my facility.
Got a call from a SAPS constabel claiming to be a dog handler in Gauteng, expressing interest in my "introduction to long range shooting" course. After a long conversation it became clear that he actually wanted to undergo training as a "Sniper" as per glorified in the "American Sniper" movie & book franchise. He alleged he has a job waiting for him in Iraque once qualified.
I tried to get him to understand that "sniping" is not necessarily all about long range shooting, and that long range shooting has got little to do with sniping. He promptly started asking me about my background and what qualified me to be able to offer such courses and became quite snotty about it.
This led me to thinking why "sniping" has such an allure, as it is in my opinion a most cowardly method of waging war. A sniper is trained to avoid contact with the enemy whilst taking as many lives, or specifically targeted lives as possible all the while not offering your target/foe an opportunity to defend themselves. How can this be glorified. Nothing other than murder in my humble opinion.
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01-08-2020, 21:30 #2
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Re: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
In my opinion “snipers”do more reconnaissance than shooting.
And if I had the opportunity to win against my enemy in any way it would not matter how that happened.
I suspect sniping is also a subset of tools inside units.
If its a fair fight in a battle I suspect you did not plan well enough.
Maybe he was probing you for some other reason.
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01-08-2020, 21:31 #3
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Re: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
Well, clearly you are not qualified as a sniper instructor...
The whole long-range sniping story was glorified by Hollywood in a series of sniper movies. It also created a very skewed perception of what military sniper missions actually entailed, things like the sniper being a sadistic or cowardly murderer etc. Yes, there are recorded instances where a "sniper" would assassinate someone, but that falls more under the "cloak and dagger" type scenarios employed by drug lords and criminal governments to eliminate their opponents.
In real life military operations, snipers mostly act in support of a larger formation and specifically target key personnel and equipment of an enemy force that is, in fact, shooting back at them. This kind of job is significantly more risky than that of a normal infantry troop, as the sniper himself is the no 1 priority target of the opposing force, who will spare no effort or weapons to eliminate him. Often mortars and artillery are employed against a suspected sniper.
Sniper training would normally entail much more that just long range shooting. Subjects like fieldcraft and tactics also need to be mastered, amongst others.
Over the years I have met a lot of policemen who had dreams of becoming a soldier. Interestingly, I have never met a soldier who dreamed of one day becoming a policeman. So, maybe konstabel Abel just has some career ambitions?
It could well be that someone believed that scared little guy in the red overalls who got the gyppos when he heard that the farmers he so despises are getting trained by
Israeli (Golani?) spethial fosses snipers now.
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01-08-2020, 21:51 #4
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01-08-2020, 22:10 #5
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02-08-2020, 09:37 #6
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02-08-2020, 09:46 #7
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02-08-2020, 10:33 #8
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Re: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
There is nothing fair about war, nor is warfare intended to be fair. It is not a game and while there are rules, they are often bent or broken, even by the "good guys". Most people who have actually been to war will tell you this.
Infantry are attacked by planes, helicopters and armored vehicles. Enemy troops are ambushed and shot from cover without any warning. Mines are planted. Guided missiles are fired from drones, unseen by those who are targeted. Artillery targets positions many kilometres away. None of these methods give the people attacked a fair chance to defend themselves.
But you are correct that snipers should not be glorified, war in general should not be glorified.
Unfortunately, war is sometimes necessary and when it is you should fight to win.
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02-08-2020, 11:36 #9
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Re: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
Genuine snipers should be recognised for the professionals they are. I have known/know a few and they are the complete antithesis of the 'grens-vegter' type.
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02-08-2020, 12:31 #10
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Re: OOM, EK WIL 'N SNIPER WORD!
Tell him to go for Special Task Force training.
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