If that is true why were our men 'painting' a mortar with a laser targeting device?
They expected something to be overhead? They were panicking and trying every single thing they could at the time? Maybe they were painting it for the Predators that were supposedly overhead? There's any number of other explanations.
I'd like some actual hard facts on that, it sounds fishy as all hell. That, or you worded it wrong. I doubt the hand-held designator ONLY works when an aircraft is around, especially if what I'm reading about the same systems being able to range find, and send the data around to other systems is true.
Since the laser itself is VISIBLE to anyone with night vision OR A NIGHT PICTURE CAPABLE CELL PHONE, IT WAS no problem for the mortar team to locate the SOURCE and blow it to pieces. Our men, KNOWING THAT, were EXPECTING a gunship to destroy the mortar position BEFORE the mortar could KILL THEM.
How likely is it that they had night vision goggles man? Or how likely is it they were sweeping cellphones around as opposed to...shooting an other terrorist things? You're making like, a shit ton of illogical leaps, based not even on confirmed facts.