Here's a Weird Picture

[pmulcahy11b]

A US vehicle -- with a DShK mounted on it!

[Mahatatain]

A couple of possible idiot questions from me.

1. How do you know that that is a US vehicle I'm not saying that it isn't, I'm just interested to know how you know for certain.

2. Could the photo be the result of some clever photoshop The two MG's look like they'd get in the way of each other to me.

[Eddie]

It's an Iraqi Army Humvee.

[pmulcahy11b]

Sorry -- saw the helmet and jumped to conclusions (or more like leaped headlong into conclusions).

[StainlessSteelCynic]

The other machinegun is a PKM variant.
I also found it interesting that the cupola had rear-vision mirrors on its side - a simple and easy way to allow some awareness of the environment to the rear of the cupola.
Eddie, do you know if that camouflage on the uniform is unique to the Iraqi forces or is it adopted from another nation It doesn't look like any of the patterns that the other coalition forces wear from what I can tell (but my knowledge is rather limited to the few photos I've seen in the media)

[HorseSoldier]

What's up with the camouflage pattern on the uniform, too Looks a little like British desert DPM, but not quite right.

The LMG looks like some member of the PK family as well.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Sorry HorseSoldier, I beat you to the questions by a mere half minute or so!

[Eddie]

The IA wear whatever uniforms they can get their hands on. Their logistics system is woefully lacking. The senior officers stockpile everything and hold on to it for "when they need it." The typical Jundi gets crap, while new stuff sits in a warehouse. You'll see woodland, cookie dough deserts, British, ACUs, and any other variant of camouflage you can think of.

[Gabe The Gun]

Also, the guy in the vehicle is whiter than any Iraqi Iv'e ever seen, so whats the next explanation

[Raellus]

I'd be willing to wager that it's a Polish soldier. The Polish have maintained a small force in Iraq since the get-go. They have their own desert pattern camo that looks a little like British desert DPM and use Soviet-Bloc weapons. The PK and the Dushka are both liscence-built in Poland. In Iraq, they sometimes borrow American-made armored vehicles like up-armored Humvees and MRAPs but I've also seen Tarpan-Honker (a Polish-made wheeled utility vehicle that looks like a cross between a Land Rover and a UAZ-69) gun trucks. I'm not sure what kind of vehicle is in the picture, though.

[Eddie]

Also, the guy in the vehicle is whiter than any Iraqi Iv'e ever seen, so whats the next explanation

Wow. Your eyes must be much better than my 20/10 vision. All I see is a gunner with his face shaded from his K-pot. I don't know that he's an Iraqi soldier, but I'll wager any amount of money you want to on it.

I'm not sure what kind of vehicle is in the picture, though.

Look at the trunk lid. It's a Humvee.

[pmulcahy11b]

Also, the guy in the vehicle is whiter than any Iraqi Iv'e ever seen, so whats the next explanation

Maybe he's a contractor

[Eddie]

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/polish-army-desert-uniform-jacket

Doesn't look like that IMHO.

[Eddie]

Maybe he's a contractor

Nah. No ball cap. No Patagonia shirt. No highspeed combat rig. Entirely too PX to be a contractor.

[cavtroop]

Here's a few more DShK's on Hummers:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._with_DSHK.JPG - big pic

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7774/319532557rz.jpg

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7774/319532557rz.jpg