(Thumbnail image: People's Daily)
Get more multi-source world news from newsy.com
“A Chinese news organization reporting that the Taliban is training monkeys to shoot and kill American soldiers.” (FOX News)
You heard right. The next great fear on the war-front -- is gun-toting monkeys with Taliban allegiances. China’s People’s Daily first reported the news. Now, media from across the world are jumping on the story, if not completely believing it.
We’re analyzing reaction to the story from Foreign Policy, The People’s Daily, Fox News, and Stars and Stripes.
First, Foreign Policy reports on the Chinese media scoop.
“It's an army of bloodthirsty, Kalashnikov-toting monkeys. Afghan Taliban have been recruiting countless baboons and macacas to the insurgent cause, turning peaceful tree-dwellers into unstoppable war machines that won't hesitate to shoot...”
This Chinese video shows shows a depiction of the soldiers being trained by Taliban forces, being offered peanuts and bananas. And then -- after that training -- opening fire on mock American military forces.
China’s People’s Daily says, IT isn’t responsible for the original reports, the British media ...
“...spotted and took photos of a few ‘monkey soldiers’ holding AK-47 rifles ... in the Waziristan tribal region...apart from using ‘monkey killers’ to attack the American troops, the Taliban also sought to arouse Western animal protectionists to pressure their governments to withdraw troops from Afghanistan.”
On Fox News, Glenn Beck jokingly tells Fox and Friends’ hosts, at least NATO forces know the enemy now.
“Monkeys? Monkeys? With guns. With guns! We were talking, at least they can’t conceal it....That’s right. Monkeys, no pockets. Unlike the kangaroo.”
In Stars and Stripes, self-proclaimed “rumor doctor” Jeff Schogol says, while all’s fair in war, some strategies defy logic.
“While you could train a monkey to shoot a gun, I certainly wouldn't want to be anywhere in the neighborhood after that. I rather doubt you could trust its aim. In addition, the noise would certainly scare most animals and make them stop."
So what do you think? Is it possible, the Taliban is training monkeys in the war on terror? Or is this story just too bizarre for words?
 |  |  |  |
