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British Blamed for Mysterious Beast of Basra
The Times Online (UK) ^ | July 11, 2007 | Philippe Naughton

Posted on 07/11/2007 11:29:16 AM PDT by Cecily

British forces operating around the southern Iraqi city of Basra are being blamed for the arrival of a plague of vicious badgers that stalk the streets at night, attacking livestock and even humans.

Local farmers have caught and killed several of the beasts, but this has done nothing to dispel rumours of a bear-like monster that eats humans and was, according to the local rumour mill, released into the area by UK forces to spread panic.

Major David Gell, a British Army spokesman, said the animals were thought to be a kind of honey badger or ratel - melivora capensis - which can be fierce but are not usually dangerous to humans unless provoked.

The animals are indigenous to Africa and large parts of the Middle East and are about the same size as European European badgers but much more aggressive, with long claws and strong jaws. They have been described in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most fearless animal.

“They are native to the region but rare in Iraq. They’re nocturnal carnivores with a fearsome reputation, but they don’t stalk humans and carry them back to their lair,” Major Gell said.

Iraqi scientists have attempted to calm the public but the story of the British badgers has spread like wildfire through Basra and the surrounding villages.

Mushtaq Abdul-Mahdi, director of Basra’s veterinary hospital, has inspected the corpses of several dead badgers and sought to reassure his fellow citizens that they are not new to the region but had been seen well before Saddam's ouster in 2003.

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: thirdpost
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To: Cecily

Interesting critter with quite the range.
http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=202


21 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:00 AM PDT by DogBarkTree (The correct word isn't "immigrant" when what they are doing is "invading".)
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To: Cecily
".. according to the local rumour mill, released into the area by UK forces to spread panic...."

What rubbish! Everbody knows the Jooooooooos released the badgers. < / s >

22 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:03 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
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To: thackney; humblegunner; pax_et_bonum
Big Ass Badgers
23 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:09 AM PDT by Allegra (Carbon offsets for sale. Inquire within.)
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To: Jeff Chandler

Manbearpig.


24 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:12 AM PDT by Dog ("Nothing important happened today." - from the diary of England’s King George III, July 4, 1776)
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To: Cecily

Maybe it’s a chupacabra?


25 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:12 AM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (Fred Dalton Thompson for President)
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To: conservativehusker
I thought Iraqies where considered the most educated Middleeasterners!

Oh, they are the PhDs of the Middle East, that is the scary part. I think this is a great rumor to spread. And that they are cross bred with pigs.

26 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:18 AM PDT by doodad
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To: txflake

Or the Hawks. Don’t forget the Hawks.


27 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:33 AM PDT by Eric in the Ozarks (BTUs are my Beat.)
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To: PeterPrinciple
They might think we are morons too with global warming

Those are modern morons, LOL!

28 posted on 07/11/2007 11:37:43 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (A man who will not defend himself does not deserve to be defended by others.)
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To: Cecily

Sounds like the rare and highly endangered Mesopotamian Chupacabra. The last reported sighting was in 1968 at a hashish bar in Amsterdam.


29 posted on 07/11/2007 11:38:46 AM PDT by Redcloak (The 2nd Amendment isn't about sporting goods.)
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To: Cecily

“inspected the corpses of several dead badgers and sought to reassure his fellow citizens that they are not new to the region but had been seen well before Saddam’s ouster in 2003.”

Before 2003, they were known as “FOOD”, with much reduced numbers.....


30 posted on 07/11/2007 11:38:51 AM PDT by tcrlaf (VOTE Democrat! You don't those stinkin' Freedoms anyway!)
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To: AngryJawa
Yes, but nobody complains about them attacking humans and cattle or claims it was introduced as part of a conspiracy by occupying forces.
31 posted on 07/11/2007 11:39:05 AM PDT by Little Ray (Rudy Guiliani: If his wives can't trust him, why should we?)
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To: doodad
And that they are cross bred with pigs. Yep...Manbearpig.
32 posted on 07/11/2007 11:39:22 AM PDT by Dog ("Nothing important happened today." - from the diary of England’s King George III, July 4, 1776)
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To: mnehrling

"I'm sorry. We are all out of badgers. Would you accept a wolverine in it's place?"

L

33 posted on 07/11/2007 11:39:27 AM PDT by Lurker (Comparing moderate islam to extremist islam is like comparing small pox to ebola.)
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To: Cecily

The British have imported their famed Beast of Exmoor as a combat weapon for Psy-Ops.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_Exmoor


34 posted on 07/11/2007 11:40:04 AM PDT by Redcitizen (Grond! Grond! Grond!)
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To: Cecily

Shape shifting Jews no doubt /s


35 posted on 07/11/2007 11:40:25 AM PDT by Augustinian monk
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To: Cecily
Badgers are mean little bastards, but these people are superstitious retards. No wonder they have a cave-man religion.
36 posted on 07/11/2007 11:40:29 AM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Eric in the Ozarks
No, like RAPTORS, dude :)
37 posted on 07/11/2007 11:40:39 AM PDT by txhurl
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To: Little Ray

38 posted on 07/11/2007 11:41:19 AM PDT by OCCASparky (Steely-Eyed Killer of the Deep)
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To: mnehrling
Yes you do need a steeking badger !!!
Feelthy Sanchez says wear the badges!!


39 posted on 07/11/2007 11:44:02 AM PDT by Centurion2000 (Killing all of your enemies without mercy is the only sure way of sleeping soundly at night.)
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To: Cecily

Sounds like the Monkeymen of Bombay.


40 posted on 07/11/2007 11:47:00 AM PDT by Natchez Hawk (The booze made me do it!)
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