Detail in the darkness

摘要

The British armed forces have long had an ambiguous attitude to sniping. Despite repeated demonstrations of the value of snipers, in Northern Ireland, the Falklands and the Gulf War, British sniper development has been hindered by a perceived moral ambiguity. The demands of recent operations and changing political perceptions have led the MoD to re-appraise the role of snipers in the British armed forces. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, two-man sniper teams have proved capable of engaging targets at extreme range, allowing British forces to avoid costly engagements in complex urban environments or heavy vegetation. The rocky, dusty terrain with little cover common to both theatres also lends itself to sniper warfare. Politically, snipers have also found favour due to their ability to eliminate specific targets with more certainty than airstrikes and without causing collateral damage. Once stigmatised for their apparent willingness to kill in cold blood, the role of snipers has been re-appraised and they are now accorded enough prestige to feature in a recent episode of Top Gear.