"Scots Sniper Kills Taliban Leader With Longest Shot"- Daily Express

[Steezy]

Iraq hero avoids prison term for savage assault on wife.
Europe Intelligence Wire
| March 25, 2004

(From Aberdeen Press & Journal (UK))

An Iraq war hero from the Black Watch savagely assaulted his wife after she flirted with other men while he was home on leave.

Daniel Buist, 28, escaped jail yesterday despite the brutal attack after Sheriff Isobel Poole heard that a prison sentence would end his Army career.

Instead she ordered the soldier, whose mother lives in Arbroath, to carry out 300 hours of community service in his spare time from drill as a lance corporal.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court had heard that the soldier attacked his 28-year-old wife Ashley in a jealous rage - repeatedly punching her in the face, kicking her body and grabbing her by the throat.

She was left with 26 injuries, including extensive bruising across her face, black eyes, swelling and redness to her throat.

Buist, described as a war hero after saving the lives of fellow soldiers as well as an enemy fighter during an attack in Basra, had been on a month's leave last July.

The couple, who lived with their five-year-old son in the Edinburgh home of his wife's parents, had gone out for the evening. In the capital's Subway nightclub, Ashley, who had previously admitted having an affair while her husband was abroad, began to dance with a group of younger men.

Defence counsel Gavin Anderson said that she let the young men grope her and outraged Buist stepped in pushing one rival to the floor.

He stormed out of the club and walked back to their Richmond Terrace address.

His wife, who had taken a cab, arrived first and when he returned there was a bitter argument.

Buist viciously attacked his partner and pushed her parents away when they tried to stop him. He eventually left and went to his own mother's Arbroath home.

The following day he was arrested and charged with attempted murder but that was later reduced to assault to the danger of life.

His wife was so upset by the trauma that she has since been prescribed medication for depression and anxiety. The three-year marriage is now over.

Buist originally joined the Army in 1992 but left after four years to become a prison officer and that is when the couple got together. However, Mr Anderson said that he missed "the excitement and travel of Army life" and enlisted as a lance corporal in the Perth-based Black Watch in 2000. For three years he served in Iraq before his arrest and has since been stationed in the UK. The lawyer stressed that the attack had been out of character for Buist.

The soldier pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife, while charges of assaulting his parents-in-law were dropped.

Leave the word Hero for people who deserve it, you can get stripped of titles too, remember. The guy beat up a woman, his wife, in a fit of rage. I don't care how damn pro Soldier you are, this guy ain't no hero!

[DragoonGuard]

I don't understand why the media would publicize the soldier's name, considering the sensitive nature of his duty, but bravo to his skill and accomplishment!

Daily Express | UK News :: Scots sniper kills Taliban leader with longest shot

Nae bad a spoaz fir a 'Fifer' n a 'Weegie'

[gunnut]

It was the L115A3 - 8.59mm

L115A3 Long Range Rifle - British Army Website

I called it.

[Michael C]

In reference to publishing the soldier's name:

A soldier in Afghanistan doesn't ever walk around the streets by himself, he doesn't ever go around Afghanistan by himself. Therefore, even if he is a media success story, if the Taliban wanted to kill or capture him specifically, they would have to kill his entire platoon that is on patrol with him and the grab him. It won't happen. Also, just knowing a soldier's name doesn't tell them what platoon he is specifically, so in this case they would really only know he is in Black Watch, not what company or platoon.

Now, it is true that the Taliban want to capture Coalition Forces bodies and use them for propaganda, but they don't care whose body they get, just so long as it is preferably American. Now, for my deployment to Afghanistan I went to the very contentious Konar province. If the British do conduct patrols in ones or two (which I doubt) in other parts of the country let me know if you have experience in Afghanistan. I have a feeling though that they do not.

[Stitch]

In reference to publishing the soldier's name:

A soldier in Afghanistan doesn't ever walk around the streets by himself, he doesn't ever go around Afghanistan by himself. Therefore, even if he is a media success story, if the Taliban wanted to kill or capture him specifically, they would have to kill his entire platoon that is on patrol with him and the grab him. It won't happen. Also, just knowing a soldier's name doesn't tell them what platoon he is specifically, so in this case they would really only know he is in Black Watch, not what company or platoon.

Now, it is true that the Taliban want to capture Coalition Forces bodies and use them for propaganda, but they don't care whose body they get, just so long as it is preferably American. Now, for my deployment to Afghanistan I went to the very contentious Konar province. If the British do conduct patrols in ones or two (which I doubt) in other parts of the country let me know if you have experience in Afghanistan. I have a feeling though that they do not.

I believe you are correct; nobody goes out on patrol in Afghanistan (or Iraq, for that matter) at less than platoon strength (not to mention all of the back-up forces they have available).

[Kernow]

The smallest Infantry 'Set-Up' is the Section, which is made up of eight men, Commanded by a Corporal with a Lance Corporal as 2i/c, they are broken down into 2 four man 'Fire Teams', each 'Fire Team' has the following: 'Fire Team 1 - Corporal with an SA80A2, Rifleman with an LSW, Rifleman with an SA80 with an Underslung Grenade Launcher, and a Rifleman with a Minimi LMG, the other fire group has the same weapons. You will also find that each soldier will be carrying LAW, Smoke and HE Grenades. There are 3 Sections to a Platoon. I believe the smallest group used in the Stan would be Company size, then you would have Heavy Machine Guns, Snipers etc.. Bear in mind that they will also have 'Jackal' in support along with CVR(T), Mastiffs etc. Also they will have Arty on Call, Air Assets and Mortar.

Also not all the people within the 'Black Watch' Battle Group would be from the 'Black Watch', Regiments and Battalions are always augmented by people from other Regiments/Battalions.

[Michael C]

Thanks

Chaobam,
I am completely familiar with US weapons and set ups, the main issue I am unfamiliar with is how British forces actually leave the wire. From what you say, a two section group, then it is completely moot whether or not the Taliban know this kid's name, how will they target him any different? They would still have to attack a whole platoon of British soldiers. If they could do that , why not do it anyways? Knowing his name is inconsequential.

[Officer of Engineers]

If they could do that , why not do it anyways? Knowing his name is inconsequential.

Knowing his regt is not.

[zraver]

I believe you are correct; nobody goes out on patrol in Afghanistan (or Iraq, for that matter) at less than platoon strength (not to mention all of the back-up forces they have available).

Forgive me if I am in error, but a scout/sniper team is two men. If a NATO heavy infantry platoon with all the support that entails is in the area, senior Taliban commanders aren't. If you want to cause high lead induced cardiac embolisms, or high velocity cerebral hemorrhages in the senior commanders of the Taliban you need to get where the enemy thinks your not. That means 2 men units who spend days sneaking in, and if they have to, days sneaking out.

In fact, evidence from Iraq where a 4 man and 6 man USMC sniper teams were wiped out seems to suggest, fewer men is in fact better when your dealing with this kind of stealthy mission.

U.S. snipers less effective than hoped in Iraq war | Deseret News (Salt Lake City) | Find Articles at BNET

[Michael C]

I wholeheartedly agree that an incredibly useful tactic in counter-guerilla operations is using small scout/sniper teams to eliminate HVTs (the Taliban commander you mention below). Having said that, knowing the path and walking the path for our forces in Afghanistan is a different story. Many AOs have restrictions on how many people have to be in a patrol before it can leave the wire that essentially make small dismounted patrols impossible. I could give specific details but it would violate operational security and the Taliban don't need to know.

[Officer of Engineers]

Michael,

If there is one thing I frown upon here is even a hint of OPSEC violations. In fact, I want no real time info regardless if it's open source or not. If we can figure out what's going on, so can the bad guys.

Please use after-the-fact info for anything you might want to present your case with.

Thank you.