[Suhiir]

All weapons systems are compromises.

While I'm not a fan of the 5.56mm (I'll take an M-14 firing 7.62mm any day) smaller rounds are handy in jungle/urban warfare where you're frequently enguaging at shorter ranges, a full auto capability is sometimes useful, and the ability to carry more ammo and have more ammo per magazine is handy. I.E. what SMGs tend to excel at. Out in the desert and mountains of the Mid East you want range and one-shot stopping power.

These days most Western militaries have figured out what the Russians have known for years. A designated marksman with an accurized weapon at platoon or squad level is damn useful.