Baghdad Sniper: Myth or Menace?

[leftchick]

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=1604797

<snip>

Feb. 10, 2006 — An insurgent videotape obtained by ABC News shows nearly a dozen sniper attacks targeting American troops.

"He definitely knows what to do with a rifle," said Maj. John Plaster, a retired Green Beret sniper instructor and author of "The Ultimate Sniper." "And he has the judgment and discipline to take a shot, wisely choose an escape route, and immediately depart to avoid capture. This is not a zealot; this is a calculated shooter."

The video, distributed on the Internet and on DVDs sold in Baghdad, credits a lone gunman who calls himself "Juba the Baghdad Sniper." He claims to have killed 143 U.S. service members. It is impossible to verify that claim.

<snip>

The U.S. military said Juba does not exist. They claim he's an urban legend, perhaps a composite of several snipers.

[greyl]

1. I think it's more reasonable to believe that there are more than one.

Horrible as that is. :(

[frylock]

2. They claim he's an urban legend, perhaps a composite of several snipers.

That's my theory on Zarqawi.

[bloom]

3. My theory is...

that with the US is training more snipers - they want to soften the impact of the news of sniper hits by US servicemen by putting out stories like this. Orwellian news as usual.