The giant man-eating badgers of Basra

Yes, I know, I know, it's one of those ridiculous stories which capture the attention of journalists in the heat of the summer when everything's going to you know where.  But I can't help myself.  No, not Paris Hilton.  I am enthralled by the story of the giant man-eating badgers of Basra. 

Al-Jazeera screen capture

Iraqi newspaper, courtesy of Mike Drummond

Despite the rumor mill and the tiresome debunking, I really doubt that the British troops have released these giant man-eating badgers into Basra.  But it's fun to speculate about the strategic logic behind it anyway!   Could the giant man-eating honey badgers compete with the insurgency or the Mahdi Army for kill counts?  Could the giant man-eating honey badgers offer a common enemy for embattled humanity?  Perhaps a reason to keep American troops in Iraq even if al-Qaeda is trounced?   

And, in order to fuel this baseless and irresponsible conspiracy mongering, here is actual cell-phone video footage, courtesy of al-Jazeera, of what appears to be a giant man-eating badger who has been strung up from a lightpost... exactly the fate of which Condi Rice reportedly warned Nuri al-Maliki.  Make of that what you will!   I find it equally suspicious that the International Crisis Group released a major report on what went wrong in Basra without once mentioning giant man-eating badgers... what exactly are they trying to hide?  Oh, and for what it's worth the stories about the giant man-eating badgers of Basra are probably better grounded in reality than the absurdist "progress report" released by the Bush administration today.

Comments

[Tin foil]

now that was funny...you know...rolling on the floor holding my sides cause my tummy hurts while tears stream down my cheeks funny.

[FILFILAH]

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[toasterhead]

Never underestimate the danger of badgers: http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/Big+Ass+Badgers/

[Sam]

Of course I just have to say: Go Badgers!!

Glad to know you are settling in well in DC.

[john dunn]

its moqtada al sadr ... now we know werehe is.

[Steve]

The British would not waste their time with man eating badgers. After all, they have direct access to the man eating rabbits from Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail.

[Tom Scudder]

I defy anyone to read the opening line of the BBC report:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6295138.stm

"British forces have denied rumours that they released a plague of ferocious badgers into the Iraqi city of Basra."

and NOT conjure up a Monty Python skit in your head.

"Her Majesty's Government strenuously denies releasing any badgers, or other burrowing mammals in the city of Basra, and furthermore deplores any use of such creatures or of other omnivores in the course of such actions. We furthermore deny the release of any marmosets, voles, wildebeests, otters, or cape buffalo into any areas of Iraq under British jurisdiction."

[Moloch-Agonistes]

Meanwhile, doesn't this remind you of Bush's Iraq policy? Monty Python: official play by play announcers of the War On Terror.

[Keith]

Welcome to Washington. Looks like you'll do well in this town. By the way, are badgers related to aardvarks?

[Truth]

Before going on who to blame for this.
simple qustion this animal was not in Basra and surly was not in Iraq!! befor 2003, so from where then it came?

Iran, Saudis Or Kuwait? sure this animal not from this habitats.

If you go and read more about this animal and his original habitats is from East South Asia Islands where rainy forests, so how it reach Basra? after 2003 invasion question waiting answers one day.

[Badger]

It's true! It's true!

Badgers in Basra!

http://www.BadgersinBasra.com

[DK]

Badgers? We don't need no stinking Badgers!

[shaniqua]

how did u get so big not tryin 2 be rude just wondering

[Klaus]

Honey badgers live all over Africa and the Middle East. Keith does not seem to know what he is talking about. The badgers on the outskirts of Basra apparently recently moved there due to flooding in the nearby forest.