US soldier kills Baghdad tiger

BoredShirtless · Post by **BoredShirtless** » 2003-09-20 02:53pm

BAGHDAD, Iraq (Reuters) -- A U.S. soldier shot dead a rare Bengal tiger at Baghdad zoo after the animal injured another soldier who was trying to feed it through the cage bars, the zoo's manager said on Saturday.

Adil Salman Mousa told Reuters a group of U.S. soldiers were having a party in the zoo on Thursday night after it had closed.

"Someone was trying to feed the tigers,'' he said. "The tiger bit his finger off and clawed his arm. So his colleague took a gun and shot the tiger.''

The night watchman said the soldiers had arrived in military vehicles but were casually dressed and were drinking beer.

A U.S. military spokesman confirmed that a member of the coalition forces shot and killed a tiger but gave no further details.

At the tiger's cage, now empty, pools of blood showed that the soldier passed through a first cage intended only for keepers and stood next to the inner cage's narrow bars.

Mousa said U.S. officials came to see him on Friday to discuss the incident.

The tiger was one of two in the zoo, once the largest in the Middle East but today a decrepit collection of dirty cages and sad-looking animals.

In April, U.S. soldiers killed four lions that had escaped from the zoo. Hundreds of other animals were stolen or let loose by looters in the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of the Iraqi capital.

For FUCKS sakes! How wrong is this?

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2003-09-20 02:55pm

Shooting the escaped animals doesn't bother me, but killing the tiger was a bit excessive.

Montcalm · Post by **Montcalm** » 2003-09-20 03:04pm

These soldiers were not screened for signs of intelligence i guess.

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2003-09-20 03:08pm

I don't see why they shot they tiger. It was the soldiers own fault for getting his arm chewed up.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-09-20 03:13pm

Civilain clothes, weapons & beer.

What's the problem? Was it getting too close to deer season back home and they just had to reenact part of it?

One guy got himself injured and the other guy shot a caged Bengal tiger. I can't say I feel sorry for the amount of shit those two soldiers are going to be in.

Still, it doesn't bring the tiger back.

Post by **Edi** » 2003-09-20 04:02pm

Fuckers.

Gotta echo Tsyroc's sentiments, they're gonna deserve every ounce of shit they get for this. Just how fucking heartless do you have to be to kill a caged animal that did nothing wrong? Even if you're drunk? Wouldn't cross my mind even if I was nearly-passed-out-shitfaced.

Edi

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2003-09-20 04:07pm

Edi wrote:that did nothing wrong?

Huh? It attacked a person. Animals that attack people are put down. That's what you always do to them. The incident might have been avoidable and is hardly a great thing, sure, but once the animal has attacked and mauled a person, it's sleep-sleep time.

ArmorPierce · Post by **ArmorPierce** » 2003-09-20 04:13pm

It attacked him threw while in the cage while one of the soldiers was doing something that it shouldn't have been. It wouldn't have been put down since it is the soldiers own fault that he was putting his hand through the cage. If it had happened while the tiger was out of the cage then maybe it would be put down.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:23pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Edi wrote:that did nothing wrong?
Huh? It attacked a person. Animals that attack people are put down. That's what you always do to them. The incident might have been avoidable and is hardly a great thing, sure, but once the animal has attacked and mauled a person, it's sleep-sleep time.

That is the case when animals are DOMESTICATED. A tiger is a wild animal, and whenyou are feding it through the cage bars, you cant expct it to tell the difference between hand and food. It is a predator, that reacted in a predatory fashion, and it should not have been put down.

Only westerners(I love saying that) go on killing sprees of predatory animals. A shark kills a human, we go out and kill 150 sharks(and are hunting them out of the atlantic... even sharks that dont have commercial value, we catch them live in our nets, shoot them, then overboard they go)... a wolf eats a sheep(what do you expect it to do, sheep are easy confined prey) we nearly wipe wolves from the americas...

We go apeshit when a predatory animal kills easy prey(humans) and then ignore the fact that we are wiping them off the face of the earth.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-20 04:26pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote: Only westerners(I love saying that) go on killing sprees of predatory animals. A shark kills a human, we go out and kill 150 sharks(and are hunting them out of the atlantic... even sharks that dont have commercial value, we catch them live in our nets, shoot them, then overboard they go)... a wolf eats a sheep(what do you expect it to do, sheep are easy confined prey) we nearly wipe wolves from the americas...

Nice load of bullshit, both Tigers and Lions are endanger mainly because of poor people in Africa and India shooting them for killing livestock over the last twenty years.

Post by **Edi** » 2003-09-20 04:36pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:
The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Edi wrote:that did nothing wrong?
Huh? It attacked a person. Animals that attack people are put down. That's what you always do to them. The incident might have been avoidable and is hardly a great thing, sure, but once the animal has attacked and mauled a person, it's sleep-sleep time.
That is the case when animals are DOMESTICATED. A tiger is a wild animal, and whenyou are feding it through the cage bars, you cant expct it to tell the difference between hand and food. It is a predator, that reacted in a predatory fashion, and it should not have been put down.

Precisely. I can understand shooting an escaped tiger that tried to attack him, but if you push your hand into a tiger cage, you're asking to get it bitten off. The man and his companion (especially the companion, because he shot the tiger) were assholes. The soldier fucked up because he was a moron in the first place, and it was his own damn fault he got mauled.

Alyrium, the rest of your argument doesn't hold water, for the reasons Sea Skimmer said. You're right about the wolves, but the rest of it is more or less bullshit. Sharks are typically caught for their fins, they cut the fins off to sell them and toss the bodies overboard, by the way. They are not being exterminated "just because".

Edi

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-09-20 04:38pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote: Only westerners(I love saying that) go on killing sprees of predatory animals. A shark kills a human, we go out and kill 150 sharks(and are hunting them out of the atlantic... even sharks that dont have commercial value, we catch them live in our nets, shoot them, then overboard they go)... a wolf eats a sheep(what do you expect it to do, sheep are easy confined prey) we nearly wipe wolves from the americas...

We go apeshit when a predatory animal kills easy prey(humans) and then ignore the fact that we are wiping them off the face of the earth.

I assume thats why the Japanese are such wonderful Whalers and they have killed sharks simply for their fins dumping the rest back in teh sea. Also "Easterners" have a growing demand for such wonderful things as Tiger testicles and Rhincerous horns that drive these creatures to be slaughtered by poachers.

You may want to stop spreading the wide brush stroke bullshit before you get some on you.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:43pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote: Only westerners(I love saying that) go on killing sprees of predatory animals. A shark kills a human, we go out and kill 150 sharks(and are hunting them out of the atlantic... even sharks that dont have commercial value, we catch them live in our nets, shoot them, then overboard they go)... a wolf eats a sheep(what do you expect it to do, sheep are easy confined prey) we nearly wipe wolves from the americas...

Nice load of bullshit, both Tigers and Lions are endanger mainly because of poor people in Africa and India shooting them for killing livestock over the last twenty years.

I would have to contest that one. Lions iirc are not at risk, and tigers are near extinction, not because of villagers, but because of demand for their bones and organs in chinese markets, and the skin trade.

The sharks are killed for their fins yes, but only certain species are collected for that purpose, Blues for example, have no commercial value, and IIRC are still killed when brought overboard. I have seen footage of ths, and while it may not be as common as I made it out to be, we still kill over 100 milion sharks per year. Most of which are hunted off in the atlantic

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:44pm

Stravo wrote:
Alyrium Denryle wrote: Only westerners(I love saying that) go on killing sprees of predatory animals. A shark kills a human, we go out and kill 150 sharks(and are hunting them out of the atlantic... even sharks that dont have commercial value, we catch them live in our nets, shoot them, then overboard they go)... a wolf eats a sheep(what do you expect it to do, sheep are easy confined prey) we nearly wipe wolves from the americas...

We go apeshit when a predatory animal kills easy prey(humans) and then ignore the fact that we are wiping them off the face of the earth.
I assume thats why the Japanese are such wonderful Whalers and they have killed sharks simply for their fins dumping the rest back in teh sea. Also "Easterners" have a growing demand for such wonderful things as Tiger testicles and Rhincerous horns that drive these creatures to be slaughtered by poachers.

You may want to stop spreading the wide brush stroke bullshit before you get some on you.

I said predatory animals, when they kill humans. I was responding to wild animals being put down for killing humans, please pay attention.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:46pm

Though I do admit the "only westerners" statement was out of line and foolish

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-20 04:47pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote:
I would have to contest that one. Lions iirc are not at risk,

Wrong, Lions are rapidly approaching extinction with an 80% drop in numbers in the last 20 years. I see you know nothing on the subject, which you have made an incredible broad statement of condemnation on. Well that's typical for you so I shouldn't be surprised.

and tigers are near extinction, not because of villagers, but because of demand for their bones and organs in chinese markets, and the skin trade.

Its both, of course either way the people who are kill them are not westerners and your completly wrong.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-20 04:50pm

Edi wrote: Precisely. I can understand shooting an escaped tiger that tried to attack him, but if you push your hand into a tiger cage, you're asking to get it bitten off. The man and his companion (especially the companion, because he shot the tiger) were assholes. The soldier fucked up because he was a moron in the first place, and it was his own damn fault he got mauled.

Its possibul they shot the thing while it was still attacking him, when a large cat gets a hold of something it does not let go easily. People have had whole limbs torn off in similar situations.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:56pm

Lions conceeded

http://www.africanconservancy.org/about ... /Facts.pdf

On the tigers however, I am seeng their threats listed as Poaching for skin/organ/bone trade, and habitat destruction.

However "Only westernr" comment is conceeded. It was not thought through, and I apologize for my stupidity.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 04:59pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
Edi wrote: Precisely. I can understand shooting an escaped tiger that tried to attack him, but if you push your hand into a tiger cage, you're asking to get it bitten off. The man and his companion (especially the companion, because he shot the tiger) were assholes. The soldier fucked up because he was a moron in the first place, and it was his own damn fault he got mauled.
Its possibul they shot the thing while it was still attacking him, when a large cat gets a hold of something it does not let go easily. People have had whole limbs torn off in similar situations.

Heads as well....

What I am wondering is, what the fuck were they doing drunk, in a zoo, and armed, in the first place.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 05:00pm

Frankly, a zoo is one of the last places I would want to be drinking.
"Hey*hicup* Jim, lets go *stumble* swimming"
*sign* "Crocodile enclosure no swimming"

Gil Hamilton · Post by **Gil Hamilton** » 2003-09-20 05:04pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote: Huh? It attacked a person. Animals that attack people are put down. That's what you always do to them. The incident might have been avoidable and is hardly a great thing, sure, but once the animal has attacked and mauled a person, it's sleep-sleep time.

The soldier stuck his hand in the tiger's face. He was practically asking to have his hand bitten off. Wonderful logic you have, a person does something monumentally stupid with an animal and begs to be attacked, and your solution is to shoot the animal because the person was stupid. Brilliant.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2003-09-20 05:05pm

Alyrium Denryle wrote: What I am wondering is, what the fuck were they doing drunk, in a zoo, and armed, in the first place.

When a guerrilla war is ongoing troops do no go anywhere without there weapons. They may have been assigned to guard to zoo or have been based inside or beside it.

Post by **Alyrium Denryle** » 2003-09-20 05:07pm

Um.. they were casually dressed, and drinking... the two combinaions of "armed and dinking" and "drinking in a zoo" are what I simply cant fathom...

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2003-09-20 05:07pm

Montcalm wrote:These soldiers were not screened for signs of intelligence i guess.

As usual, mont, we find ourselves on the same mode of thought. As a former member of the military, I can tell you U.S. soldiers are NOT screened for intelligence. Unless you count the pitiful ASVAB (Armed services Vocational Attribute battery, if I'm not mistaken.) which has questions like 10w-40 is a type of:
A) Motor Oil
B) Transmission Fluid
C) Brake Fluid
D) None of the above

I remember this question because I thought I knew something about cars ( I did, but gave a careless answer of B)
Don't know how I mixed up 10W-40 and dexron/Mercon-3, but I did... Oh well. I still qualified to be a damn nuke tech on a submarine:
WITH NO HIGHER EDUCATION. Frightening...although, I suppose I could be shot for revealing this information about Military operations.

As an aside, it should be mentioned that, though I qualified to be a nuke tech, I later found out that, though no HIGHER education is required, per se, you must pass a 1 1/2 year advanced training program, though, given the phenomena observed during my basic training and AIT (Advanced individual training) to become an MP, (i.e. pushing through training people woefully unqualified to serve me french fries) This is a frightening thought.

Rubberanvil · Post by **Rubberanvil** » 2003-09-20 06:01pm

The Duchess of Zeon wrote:
Edi wrote:that did nothing wrong?
Huh? It attacked a person. Animals that attack people are put down. That's what you always do to them.

Actually you're very wrong on that whenever stupid people are involved. Especially in the states where zoos, their patrons and the cities tend to despise people who ignore all of the warnings and crosses over all of the barriers just to take a picture of themselves with a large predatory animals.

WTF are the soldiers doing with beer when iirc they're not to be allowed to drink acholol(sp) in Iraq?