by Simon 48 Replies latest social entertainment
The US military discovered at one time, that a large percentage of their conscripted soldiers did not aim to kill.
That number of course did not include the determined hunters, that kill for sport, shooting at live and moving targets. Ultimately, soldiers will kill or be killed, The sniper, drone pilot killer is another matter. Killers had an evolutionary advantage, so the instinct is -bred in, or in bred.
Some are making a big stink about it and claiming that "snipers are cowards". It seems unfair to me.
I think anyone criticizing snipers needs to walk a mile in their shoes. I suspect they would stfu afterwards.
The US military discovered at one time, that a large percentage of their conscripted soldiers did not aim to kill
It's a phenomenon common to many armies, more so in the past when soldiers were other professions, and one reason there is a push to demonize or dehumanize the enemy.
Then they come back to the states and become cops,
And they like to kill people and especially they like to kill dogs.I understand there is a position open in Ferguson.
Doc
It should be realized that military trained snipers have been chosen by virtue of the marksmanship with regular
issued rifles . Since they show their capabilities above the rest, they get selected to be snipers for on foot combat
There is a recognized skill to what they are capable of doing with a rifle and a high powered scope.
I've heard of the prejudice against snipers in WW2. It was a big thing at the time.
An old guy I used to talk with fought in WW2 under Patton (actually met him) in Africa and Italy. He mentioned the "snipers are cowards" philosophy several times.
He said, "It was always the dumb, soon-to-be-dead guys who thought killing from a distance was cowardice. The truth about combat is the smarter you are, the further from the enemy you stay."
One thing that you see in practice by modern military forces today is that on foot combat personal are constantly using their scopes on their rifles to scan ahead of areas of expected opponents.
They are used more or less as binoculars, for the simple reason that its advantageous to locate an opponent before any possible engagement with them . This capability is used again by snipers who are able to see far ahead of regular troops in what they might be able to see, that's why they are usually placed on a higher elevation of the regular troops, they play a supporting role in the over all engagement.
In the field of warfare whoever sees whom first usually has the upper advantage.
St. Augustine crafted something for Christians he called the JUST WAR THEORY.
The 'Just' part meant there was justice to waging that kind of war.
The Devil, of course, was in the details.
At best, self-defense on a national scale, is a Just War.
Push outward, the Slippery Slope quickly comes to view.
Pearl Harbor would give Augustine no problems, surely.
The war in Afghanistan might call for the Pope to convoke a counsel:)
As to my own personal opinion?
I remember the scene in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and agree with Butch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5f5_KdLEw4
