BAGHDAD, IRAQ - SEPTEMBER 8: A U.S. soldier and an Iraqi National Guardsmen secure the scene of an attack against a car, reportedly transporting armed foreigners, which was attacked by insurgents on a highway September 8, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. It has been reported that more than one person was injured in the attack. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)


BAGHDAD, IRAQ: A US soldier secures 08 September 2004 the street where the Baghdad office of the Italian charity Un Ponte Per Baghdad (Bridge to Baghdad) is located. Armed men kidnapped two Italian women identified as Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, working for the charity and two Iraqi aid workers from their office . Whereabouts of the hostages is still unknown. AFP PHOTO/Karim SAHIB (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images



BAGHDAD, IRAQ - SEPTEMBER 8: U.S. soldiers give first-aid treatment to an Iraqi man wounded in an attack against a car, reportedly transporting armed foreigners, by insurgents on a highway September 8, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. It has been reported that more than one person was injured in the attack. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)


BAGHDAD, IRAQ - SEPTEMBER 8: U.S. soldiers and Iraqi National Guardsmen secure the scene of an attack against a car, reportedly transporting armed foreigners, which was attacked by insurgents on a highway September 8, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. It has been reported that more than one person was injured in the attack. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)


BAGHDAD, IRAQ - SEPTEMBER 8: U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi National Guardsman investigate the scene of an attack against a car, reportedly transporting armed foreigners, which was attacked by insurgents on a highway September 8, 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. It has been reported that more than one person was injured in the attack. (Photo by Wathiq Khuzaie/Getty Images)


A U.S. soldier stands guard near a burning military vehicle following an attack by Iraqi guerrillas on a military convoy in the eastern part of Baghdad, September 8, 2004. They was no immediate report by the U.S. Army on the incident. REUTERS/Ali Jasim


This picture released by the US Marines shows 1st Sgt. Octaviano Gallegos providing security for his Marines at the Iraqi al-Anbar province. Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) stressed that the US must "defeat this enemy" and press on toward Iraqi elections slated for January 2005.(AFP/USMC)


A hand-out photograph released by Multi National forces in Iraq (news - web sites) on September 8, 2004 shows Polish soldiers patrolling in the southern Iraqi city of Hilla. The Pentagon (news - web sites) death toll in Iraq reached at least 1,002 Wednesday nearly 18 months after the U.S.-led invasion, as the brazen abduction of two Italian women aid workers in central Baghdad sparked a new hostage crisis. EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/HO/Sgt. Jose Hernandez


Thai soldiers on patrol in Iraq (news - web sites). Thai troops who served in Iraq began arriving home on a US aircraft at the end of the kingdom's controversial year-long deployment.(AFP/File/Mauricio Lima)



An Iraqi National Guard soldier cleans weapons during a training drill at the Forward Operating Base FOB Danger in Tikrit September 8, 2004. Dozens of international aid agencies considered quitting Iraq (news - web sites) Wednesday following the abduction of two Italian women. REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby


A U.S. army soldier from the 1st Infantry Division looks on as Iraqi soldiers train on assault techniques at the Forward Operating Base Danger, in Tikrit, September 8, 2004. Dozens of international aid agencies considered quitting Iraq (news - web sites) Wednesday following the abduction of two Italian women, and as the U.S. military death toll rose above 1,000. REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby


A masked insurgent patrols Fallujah, Iraq (news - web sites), Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004. On Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, U.S. jets fired several missiles into Fallujah in retaliation for Monday's militant attacks on Marine positions outside the city that killed seven Marines. (AP Photo / Abdul Khader Sadi)



A child, amongst others, holds up gun, as insurgents patrol Fallujah, Iraq (news - web sites), Wednesday Sept. 8, 2004. U.S. warplanes launched strikes in the insurgent-held city on Wednesday, hitting at suspected militant hideouts used to plan attacks on American forces, the U.S. military said. (AP Photo/Abdul Khader Sadi)


FALLUJAH, IRAQ: Hooded militants from al-Tauhid and Jihad Islamic group display 07 September 2004 parts of a US drone that crashed the previous day in the flashpoint of Fallujah. The al-Tauhid and Jihad group claims that it had shot the drone and was behind the deadly attack that killed Seven US marines and three Iraqi national guards in Fallujah. AFP PHOTO/Fares DLIMI (Photo credit should read FARES DLIMI/AFP/Getty Images)


Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian during a military operation. Israeli troops staged an overnight incursion into the northern Gaza Strip (news - web sites) but failed to prevent the firing of more rockets on southern Israel.(AFP/File/Hazem Bader)


An Israeli soldier directs a tank ready to enter Gaza Strip (news - web sites) from Kibutz Malfasim in Israel. In an attempt to prevent Hamas firing more of its makeshift Qassam missiles into southern Israel, troops staged an incursion into the northern Gaza Strip.(AFP/David Furst)


PANAGODA, SRI LANKA: Sri Lankan soldiers wear the United Nations's blue helmets as they take part in a parade before leaving to Haiti on Sri Lanka's first UN peacekeeping mission abroad, 08 September 2004 in Panagoda. A 750-strong contingent of Sri Lankan troops will join the multi-national stabilisation force in Haiti shortly. AFP PHOTO Sena VIDANAGAMA (Photo credit should read SENA VIDANAGAMA/AFP/Getty Images)

Quoted: Yeah, and if they so f'ing proud, how come we always see them wearing masks? Dirt bags.

Keeps it all in one place when some American Marine or GI plants a round right in the nugget of those assholes.

Those rifles our guys are holding, are indeed well used. On a deployment such as OIF they don't put thier weapons away in a climate controlled safe when they are done at the range, they work, wat and sleep with them. Back home those same rifles are used hard constantly as well.

Edited to add: Many of those A2 M16's are nearly twenty years old. The M16A1 I was issued in Basic training was a Viet Nam era rifle that had been used in a basic training enviorment fromt eh time it was new until at least the end of 1992, and while worn and abused worked well.

BTT for the night crew.