Do you think the Mehdi fighters in Najaf are well trained?

General » General Discussion

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Do you think the Mehdi fighters in Najaf are well trained?

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:13:23 AM EDT

This guy looks like he might actually have some formal training.... note trigger finger...

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:15:13 AM EDT

[#1]

you're kidding right???

Armed thugs, nothing more. One thing that seems to be consistent is their lack of understanding of cover and concealement, one of the very basics of military training.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:15:16 AM EDT

[#2]

Also note the mask.

Mask=coward.

SGtar15

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:16:13 AM EDT

[#3]

Quoted:
you're kidding right???

Armed thugs, nothing more.

+1

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:16:49 AM EDT

[#4]

They wouldn't be getting killed by the hundreds if they had any training...

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:16:49 AM EDT

[#5]

Nope stupid fucks with guns is all.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:17:29 AM EDT

[#6]

Among their weapons, they have G3s, FALs, PKs, FPKs, and Dragunovs. If they knew what they were doing, our casualties during engagements would be significant...

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:19:48 AM EDT

[#7]

they are being trained not to mess with the US

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:21:24 AM EDT

[#8]

A few might have a clue, but the rest? NFW. Thugs with guns.

When you have a mindset that DYING FOR YOUR BELIEFS IS THE BEST THING THAT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU (rather than LIVING for them) it kind of puts the whole thing in perspective, doesn't it?

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:21:53 AM EDT

[#9]

NO!

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:22:05 AM EDT

[#10]

If they where trained they would have enough sense not to hold up 2000+ members in on location the size of your average hotel.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:23:19 AM EDT

[#11]

Some of them probably have training, whether it be from Saddams Army, the Taliban/Al Queada, or the militaries of foreign countries (probably including a few US vets turned ~~idiot~~muslim), but for the most part, there formal training consists of "Ali, that is the dangerous end, now go kill infedels".

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:24:13 AM EDT

[#12]

The fact that he is even aiming and not just mag dumping and running for cover is quite impressive. That said, I hope the m-fer didn't live long enough to view this fine photo

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:24:31 AM EDT

[#13]

Hve you seen any footage showing them shooting mortors, hang a round goes off it falls over, then they just set it back over and do it again.

Watch the guys who shoot the RPG, most of them just jump out in to the street and fire the round not aiming at all, sometimes they get lucky and hit something.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:28:45 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
The fact that he is even aiming and not just mag dumping and running for cover is quite impressive. That said, I hope the m-fer didn't live long enough to view this fine photo

It is probably a staged foto.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:31:46 AM EDT

[#15]

They are dying at a 500 to 1 clip....NO they arent

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:33:05 AM EDT

[#16]

They watch TV also!

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:35:21 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
Also note the mask.

Mask=coward.

SGtar15

Well said.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:41:14 AM EDT

[#18]

Cmon people.... not 1 ounce of respect? he's got a scope too....

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:44:00 AM EDT

[#19]

After seeing the video of that fucking moron with the Russian PK machine gun walk down a wall firing a long steady burst, then taking himself out with a ricochet from the same wall that is like 5 feet from him, I'd say no. LOL. These people alomost have the mental capacity to be dangerous. Almost.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:44:28 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Also note the mask.

Mask=coward.

SGtar15

Agreed.

Posted: 8/20/2004 6:54:57 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Quoted:
Also note the mask.

Mask=coward.

SGtar15

Agreed.

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=28856 www.wizardsofaz.com/waco/agent1.jpg

The guy on the right looks cold

Posted: 8/20/2004 7:07:00 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
The guy on the right looks cold

No worries: he soon had a raging fire to keep him warm.

Posted: 8/20/2004 7:08:14 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
After seeing the video of that fucking moron with the Russian PK machine gun walk down a wall firing a long steady burst, then taking himself out with a ricochet from the same wall that is like 5 feet from him, I'd say no. LOL. These people alomost have the mental capacity to be dangerous. Almost.

Got a link?

Posted: 8/20/2004 7:21:07 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Quoted:
After seeing the video of that fucking moron with the Russian PK machine gun walk down a wall firing a long steady burst, then taking himself out with a ricochet from the same wall that is like 5 feet from him, I'd say no. LOL. These people alomost have the mental capacity to be dangerous. Almost.

Got a link?

Yep.

www.vampirebat.com/war/shiite_militia_ricochets_self.wmv

Right click on the link, save target as. It's a short segment and only takes a minute to download. However, I think it makes the point.

Posted: 8/20/2004 8:10:31 AM EDT

[#25]

Yes, I think some of them are probably well trained, you should never underestimate the enemy, they definitely have "guts", they have the determination to go against much more powerful military forces
when the odds are against them, they have a different mind set, I have heard most guerilla wars are unwinnable when they have the support of the local people, and most Iraqis hate the USA.

they plan to "out last us" they know as long as they keep fighting we will eventually leave.

Posted: 8/20/2004 8:19:04 AM EDT

[#26]

I've seen that before, I really thought a grenade was lobbed in there or rounds fired in, and whatever hit the ground in front of him was explosive,,, but now it does look like he did himself in,

, does it look like his barrel dropped enough to shoot the ground that close to him?

edit to add smiley

Posted: 8/20/2004 8:25:56 AM EDT

[#27]

I think you guys are being silly...if I were an INSURGENT or shit stirrer I'd wear a mask too...it is operational security in my mind...they don't want to be discovered via intel/cameras etc...

That said, I hope we kill everyone of them and bury them in a vat of bacon

Posted: 8/20/2004 9:40:53 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:
I've seen that before, I really thought a grenade was lobbed in there or rounds fired in, and whatever hit the ground in front of him was explosive,,, but now it does look like he did himself in,, does it look like his barrel dropped enough to shoot the ground that close to him?

edit to add smiley

If you stop the video at .02sec you can see incoming stikes on the ground with debris fying towards him. His muzzle is still too high to shoot the deck.

He is taking incoming

Posted: 8/20/2004 10:27:24 AM EDT

[#29]

Not much effective training anyway.

Agree with DKProf, they seem to lack the ability to comprehend basic cover, concealment, fire and maneuver.

If they could at least shoot their weapons accurately out to 200 yards, and actually planned ambushes, raids and the like, and executed basic small unit tactics, US forces would be taking much more significant casualties.

A friend of mine just returned from over there. Our discussions about this confirm that they are complete tactical morons.

Posted: 8/20/2004 11:06:23 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:
Not much effective training anyway.

Agree with DKProf, they seem to lack the ability to comprehend basic cover, concealment, fire and maneuver.

If they could at least shoot their weapons accurately out to 200 yards, and actually planned ambushes, raids and the like, and executed basic small unit tactics, US forces would be taking much more significant casualties.

A friend of mine just returned from over there. Our discussions about this confirm that they are complete tactical morons.

I wonder how they keep fighting without re-supply? seems like they would run out of RPG's & morter rds? since they dont have a steady supply line like the Vietnamese communists via the "Ho chi Minh Trail".

Posted: 8/20/2004 11:24:08 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
Yes, I think some of them are probably well trained, you should never underestimate the enemy, they definitely have "guts", they have the determination to go against much more powerful military forces
when the odds are against them, they have a different mind set, I have heard most guerilla wars are unwinnable when they have the support of the local people, and most Iraqis hate the USA.

they plan to "out last us" they know as long as they keep fighting we will eventually leave.

Most Iraqis do not hate us. They either like us or at worst are indifferent to us.
Al-Sadr is actually pretty unpopular amongst mainstream Iraqis. He is considered a young, hot-headed firebrand. His followers are usually un-employed, ex-Iraqi army types. Most Iraqis like Al-Sistani, the older, more moderate cleric. While he doesn't really like the West, he is indifferent and understands why we did the things we did.

A lot of the fighters we kill turn out to be foreign Jihadists. A lot of Iranians, Syrians, and Saudis. Zarquewi is Jordanian. When my MP CO. was over there, we noticed that our prisoners would group themselves. You put a prisoner in the cage, and they would either go to one group or another group. After we started to interview people, we found out the bigger group were Syrians and they don't get along with Iraqis.

Point is, don't make the mistake of grouping all the Iraqis in with these Mahdi Militia guys. These Militia guys are very much in the minority, and are either criminals, hot-headed individuals, or foriegners.

Posted: 8/20/2004 11:25:07 AM EDT

[#32]

I wonder how many of them are really trying to stay alive in confrontations really. I have no formal training (yet). But even I know to take cover where it can be found and not stand in an open street or hill top to be shot dead as soon as I'm seen. Nor would I consider attacking armor with small arms on bikes as they did in the early days. Some of the stuff they have pulled makes me wonder if chimps with guns would fight better.