Is Epic Movie ‘The Grey’ Misrepresenting Wolves as Predators Against Humans?
- Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:13am by
Liz Klimas
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Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Not movie goers this past weekend. With Liam Neeson in its starring role, “The Grey” proved top dog at the box office, raking in $20 million in revenue.
But while the movie may prove entertaining, some wildlife experts and animal conservationists have expressed concern that the film could give wolves a bad rap.
How likely is a pack of wild wolves stalking and violently attacking a group of humans stranded in the Alaskan wilderness? The Daily, which set out to investigate this question, found that in the last 100 years there have only been two incidents of humans being killed by wolves. Watch its report:
The Daily Beast also reports animal activists as saying the likelihood of wolves attacking humans as slim:
“The notion that wolves attack humans is ridiculous,” says Wendy Keefover, carnivore-protection director for WildEarth Guardians, one of several groups that has called for a boycott of the film, claiming it’s “inciting terror” of wolves in the same way that Jaws did of sharks.
“Most people don’t know anything about wolves. This movie will tap into their primal fears and create mass hysteria,” Keefover tells The Daily Beast. Only two fatal wolf attacks have been documented in the history of North America, yet The Grey depicts wolves as eviscerating man-eaters. The result, Keefover says, will be disastrous for wolf-conservation efforts.
The Wolf Conservation Center states that you have a better chance of “being hit by lightning, dying of a bee sting or being killed in a vehicle collision with a deer” than being attacked by a wolf.
But if you were to come face-to-face with a wolf, what should you do? Maggie Howell, director of the Wolf Conservation Center, said in The Daily’s report to “act as big and scary as you possibly can, making loud noises and throwing things.” What not to do? Run.
Check out trailer for The Grey:




















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Comments (189)
Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:08pmIt IS just a movie, from someone’s imagination.
Report Post »rightwingheroes
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:22pmSuperheroes are not all drunks and damage property as was the case in Hancock
:)
Report Post »stifroc
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:39pmAlso, it’s nature. Would a pack of wolves stalk and kill humans? Well… if the wolves were starving, you bet your life they would stalk and kill humans. Food is scarce in the wilderness in winter! But now I bet we will have to endure 3-6 months of studies and reports and discovery channel specials that will show us that wolves are NOT dangerous, and in fact are victims, and if wolves DO attack a human, it’s because we deserve it.
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:18pmDidn’t Hollywood do the same thing to sharks when they released the movie Jaws. People didn’t want to go into the ocean after that movie came out.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:20pmDuring the days of Viking attacks… English Kings & Lords kept Wolf Pits to throw them in!
Report Post »black9897
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:25pmWho cares???! It’s got Liam Neeson and looks freaking awesome.
Report Post »toto
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 2:04pmScuba13 And the problem is?
Report Post »Mtroom
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 2:12pm“Mass hysteria” …LOL …I can’t even think of what to say about that..I’m still laughing to hard…Where will this happen? Will we have MSM coverage?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:01pmA human would be considered a prey item if the wolf thought it could kill you. ‘Nough said …
Report Post »Mtroom
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:40pmIt‘s good to see Toto respond after starting that mass hysteria of tornado’s and witches.
Report Post »James Wieck
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:43pmStifroc, Yes, the wolf is the victim. It was hunted to extinction in Europe, and we very nearly did the same thing here. If you are really so afraid of an animal that you must destroy every single one of them, then wouldn’t it be more logical to kill all the dear and elk? After all, more humans are killed by these animals than humans. How about the crocodile, or the alligator? They have killed and eaten thousands of humans.
Report Post »BoyScout_Mom
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 4:34pmLooks seriously awesome. Can’t wait.
Report Post »ravinginfidel
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:06pmI have seen pictures of wolves in Idaho. Big mothers, run in packs. Aggressive and weight 150+. I sure wouldn’t want to go snowshoeing in the winter unarmed or not anywhere near their range.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:33pmstifroc
Report Post »There was a case in Siberia where wolves actually tried to open doors to get at the people inside.
hidden_lion
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:34pm“The Daily, which set out to investigate this question, found that in the last 100 years there have only been two incidents of humans being killed by wolves”
How can they be so sure? If someone out in the wild were killed and eaten, who would know?
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:34pmWolves are smaller than us by a little. But wait wolves kill caribou & those are much large than wolves. So …
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:44pmI agree, this “IS” just a movie.
On the other hand, I “AM” an avid outdoors man. I hunt. I hike. I fish. I’m a primitive archer.
I have been chased up a tree by wolves (8) and stayed there about :45 min while they loitered, noisily below me. When they left, I went another direction.
A pack of wolves locally was recently numbered @26. A pack of 15 supposedly will eat an entire elk every 3 to 5 days. Or 7 or more deer in the same period. A pack of wolves would make a 15 minute snack of a person. And leave no morsel undigested.
I can only say if what you know about wolves is what you see on TV, you’re an idiot, concerning wolves. Even if (especially) you watch PBS, DISC, NTLGEO or HIST. None of them have it right on wolves.
Report Post »All of them have it right on Federal regulation, law, and protectionist protocols, though. And if they don’t, they’ll make it up as they go.
NeoFan
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 6:37pmHollywood not being accurate in their portrayal of a subject? Say it isn’t so? Did you see cowboys and aliens?
Report Post »USAF2003
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 7:29pmWe must shut down Hollywood!! Hurry!! The latest news is in…………Movies Are FAKE!!!!!! Who saw that one coming? I sure didn’t…..What dopes
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 7:43pmThis message brought to you by The National Wolf’s Against Brick Houses Foundation, acting spokesperson, Wolf Blitzer says that this movie was backed by massive amounts of pork and believes the “filthy” pigs are behind it…
Report Post »Bum thrower
Posted on January 31, 2012 at 10:39amGood for the wolves!! pay backs are hell!! Gov‘t ’hunters’ and would be/wanna be “Sportsmmen” have been killing them for years and for what purpose?
Report Post »richard the lion-hearted
Posted on January 31, 2012 at 3:52pm@James Wieck & Bum Thrower…
Report Post »You both need to seriouly get a clue…and a life. Beyond that you’re both absolutely hilarious, thanks for the laugh.
1ClassicLiberal
Posted on January 31, 2012 at 11:03pmAsk the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. They determined that Candice Berner was killed and partially eaten by wolves while she was jogging near the village of Chignik Lake on the Alaska Peninsula in March 2010.
Report Post »RebelBroker
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:02pmIt amazes me that we are so far removed from any concept of how the natural world works. Predators will eat what they can eat… period. Predators will also discriminate between things that will put up a fight and things that will put up less of a fight. The idea that wolves, coyotes, dogs, etc. will not eat a human is ridiculous. Hell, some humans will eat humans when left with nothing else to eat.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:13pmDo not forget that predators are also scavengers. They go for the easiest meal. Liberals should stay out of the woods. There are no police to save their a$$es.
Report Post »randy
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:20pmYour house cat will eat you when you die if they do not find you in time :)
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:27pmyup, and your dog…………….. a relative of the wolf
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:35pmREBELBROKER, Have to agree with you there. Back around 1971, my Sr year of high school I read the book “Man Is The Prey.” Frankly it pointed out in almost all instances that man eating animals have become so by mistake, or happenstance. Only polar bears consider man as it’s natural prey. The grey wolf will hunt and track humans simply out of necessity if their natural sources of food are depleted due to severe winter weather and often an exploding population of the animals. As I recall from book and it has been a very long time. Sometime after WWI a secluded French village suffered a severe winter blizzard and were snowed in. Eventually wolves actually began a siege on the cut off village seeking the only source of food available to them. It was not until an overpassing aircraft spotted the wolves openly wandering the village in daylight, the pilot alerted authorities upon landing. The military was eventually able to walk in and take the village back. Animals will attempt to do whatever is necessary to survive.
Report Post »one.dakine.howlie
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:04pmWhat I would like to point out is when did people start keeping “records” of such incidences? My guess would be long after we had already decimated most of the wolf population in North America. I live only 100 miles away from Yellowstone National Park where they re-introduced an INVASIVE species of wolf from the Canadian Rockies. I can show you some scary video, pictures, and statics that show EXACTLY what a pack of wolves can do. These wolves measure up to your stomach when on all fours and weigh as much as an adult male. A few of these monsters can take down a healthy buffalo in a matter of minutes. A pack will take down several elk in a day just for fun to practice their killing skills. You can bet your butt they‘ll take down a human once they figure out we can’t put up much of a fight.
Report Post »They breed like rabbits and have migrated all throughout the mountain west from northern Montana all the way down to Arizona. It won’t be too long before we start getting many “reports” of wolves killing humans.
republitarian
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 2:49pmI agree with everything said in this thread. Nice to see some sanity left in the world.
Report Post »James Wieck
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:45pm@ Rebelblocker – Thank you……someone who gets it.
Report Post »SistaTriscuit
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 4:09pmone.dakine.howlie
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:04pm
What I would like to point out is when did people start keeping “records” of such incidences? My guess would be long after we had already decimated most of the wolf population in North America. I live only 100 miles away from Yellowstone National Park where they re-introduced an INVASIVE species of wolf from the Canadian Rockies. I can show you some scary video, pictures, and statics that show EXACTLY what a pack of wolves can do. These wolves measure up to your stomach when on all fours and weigh as much as an adult male. A few of these monsters can take down a healthy buffalo in a matter of minutes. A pack will take down several elk in a day just for fun to practice their killing skills. You can bet your butt they‘ll take down a human once they figure out we can’t put up much of a fight.
They breed like rabbits and have migrated all throughout the mountain west from northern Montana all the way down to Arizona. It won’t be too long before we start getting many “reports” of wolves killing humans.
_________________________________________
We also live within about 100 miles of Yellowstone – thank you for sharing some COMMON SENSE TRUTH about the wolf situation here. All the greenies who live in the city love the “romance” of wolves in the wild, well, they don‘t have to LIVE with them they way people do here now because they’ve been forced upon us. They’ve had a tremendous impact on the elk he
Report Post »BloodSweatandTears
Posted on February 4, 2012 at 12:09amThink the Wilderness Project… said to import the more vicious European wolf. Two can take down an Elk or Moose. Plus they out populate the North American wolves with litters of eight versus two,,,.
Report Post »Phoneguy
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:01pmWe don’t care for them much here in Idaho, people eater works for me.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:01pmSaw “The Grey” yesterday. It’s a really grim Arctic horror story, like something from Jack London.
The movie posits a group of humans, perhaps about the size of a wolf pack minus cubs, set down in a chunk of territory already claimed by an existing pack. The pitch is that the wolves basically mistake the humans for an intrusive rival pack and try to drive them off by serially attacking and mauling them one by one. Because the humans do not have firearms or even native hunting gear, and because they generally try to run, they get the worst of it. Unlikely, but not totally implausible.
The least realistic aspect of the movie comes toward the end, with the apparent neglect of the effect of hypothermia on someone falling into an icy stream, which should lead to death within minutes but somehow does not.
Hope i haven’t spoiled it for anyone. Go see it. It’s that good.
Report Post »Faith1029
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:17pmLLOYD: “Saw “The Grey” yesterday. It’s a really grim Arctic horror story, like something from Jack London.”
I saw the movie Saturday night. I left in the middle of it because of the horrible violence and gore it portrayed. And people brought their kids to this movie. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:03pmYeah, I know. Some guy sitting in front of me had brought his kid, maybe 7 or 8 years old. Probably not a good idea, but for adults, still a great flick.
Report Post »Dan_o
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:36pmFaith1029, Sounds like a sterling recommendation. :)
Report Post »paleoman
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:56amThe 3 little pigs might differ with that.
Report Post »Kamikazesan
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:53amI agree it is a movie ( a good one to boot) wolves were only one of the antagonists of the film really the main one was the weather…Weather caused the crash, weather limited their visiblity, limited their movement, as well as a lot of other factors. besides animals have been known to hunt humans when other other prey are in short supply and starvation rears its ugly, Alligators and Coyote come to mind. I have encountered people here in WV where they said they had the feeling they were being followed by coyote while in the forest reigons.
Report Post »ravinginfidel
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 5:28pmI used to live in Glendale, Calif. years ago. The coyotes would come out and night and thin the local cat and poodle population. The problem was that they are opportunistic hunters living in close proximity to humans and eventually one got in a back yard and killed a small child. I personally have seen them (coyotes) in many urban areas of the West. Coyotes are generally not the threat wolves could be. Both are real smart predators.
Report Post »mountainmover101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:53amIt doesn’t surprise me that these people think this. I have a clue for them…IT IS A HOLLYWOOD MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is fantasy. Any similarity to reality is purely accidental and completely unintended. How gullible do they think people are? I mean people that are intelligent and actually think and know that anything from Hollywood is pure fiction, and probably some aberrant dream from the drug-soaked mind of a deviant screenplay writer, and has absolutely no bearing on everyday life or the actual natural world.
Guys, The Blaze really needs to be more discriminating in its selection of stories. This one would be better left to MSNBC or CNN. Their halfwit audience will devour this twaddle. I follow a strict twaddle-free diet.
Report Post »Lloyd Drako
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:08pmI think you are being too harsh. Many people who hang out at The Blaze seem to be hunters, lovers of the outdoors and the wilderness, and survivalists of one ilk or another. This story is tailor-made for them.
Report Post »circleDwagons
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:35pmat least they did not make the wolves, smart eco-friendly superoir to humans puppy dogs.
Report Post »Never Run
David286 - FL
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:49amSo I guess Underworld is misrepresenting vampires and lycans. Where’s the outrage over their plight? o.0
Report Post »NeverSurrender
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:47amHow can this movie do any worse than that Little Red Riding hood diddy where the wolf ate Grandma?
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:57amThat is the sensored version. Look up the original classic tale, that and the Three Little Pigs.
Report Post »qpwillie
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:03pmIn Little Red Riding Hood’s day, there was a variety of wolves that could talk. That kind was known to eat people and little pigs. On the other hand, it wasn’t unheard of for little pigs set up an ambush and cause the wolf to fall into a boiling pot of water. The pigs would then proceed to eat the boiled wolf.
Report Post »kedward
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:47amSo what work keeps the wolf from your door?
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:44amWell, if you don’t like it, then don’t go see it. Hollywood is full of crap any way so either you believe it or not, it is your choice……
Report Post »Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:55amIt’s a movie. It’s not going to cause “mass hysteria” towards wolves. I mean , really. Mass hysteria?
Report Post »cyclops
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 1:05pmAgreed 100% and that’s the idea behind my thread. It all comes down to individual choice. Go see it if you want to see it and if you don’t want to see, just don’t go. I have no patience with these people who are so paranoia about “mass hysteria” because of a movie. Anyway, but I still think Hollywood is full of crap……….LOL!!!!!!
Report Post »bonafide
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:43amBest dog I ever had was a Malamute/Wolf Hybrid. Gentle, loyal, protective, and extremely large.
Report Post »gpk
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:50am@bonafide
Report Post »lilkewise had malamute mix years ago……talk about a strong dog……..he was great.
Homeschoolmama
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 4:39pmMy best dog was a half wolf, half husky mix. Miss her and would love to have another.
Report Post »Bullfrog85
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:37amWhy is this a Blaze story?
Report Post »Polarized America
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:46amfrom…About TheBlaze
The Blaze is a news, information and opinion site brought to you by a dedicated team of writers, journalists & video producers.
Our goal is to post, report and analyze stories of interest on a wide range of topics from politics and culture to faith and family.
Report Post »—————-
Personally I find this story of interest
Bible Quotin' Science Fearin' Conservative American
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:57amThey throw that “opinion” part in there so that they can speculate total garbage and not ahve to be held accountable. Fox New does it too.
Then they turn around and criticize Bill Maher for saying something and then using the “I’m a comedian” cop out when they’re doing the same thing.
Report Post »ModerationIsBest
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:36amWhat about movies that involve aliens coming to earth and attacking us?
These movie studios are unfairly portraying aliens as aggressors and contributing to the stereotype that if aliens were to arrive on our planet; that they would be here to eradicate the human race and harvest our planet for its resources.
Report Post »MrButcher
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:49amIts just xenophobic bigotry on the part of us humans against inter-galactic life forms.
“Aliens”? What a racist term! They didn’t choose to be born on another planet!
I stand in solidarity with other so-called “aliens” like ET, Alf and Tilda Swinton!
WE SHALL OVERCOME!
Report Post »Komponist-ZAH
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 10:59pmLet’s start the Extra-Terrestrial Image Protection Center and lobby Congress for regulations to stop the continuation of this bigotry and hysteria.
…Tilda Swinton…lol
Report Post »rotcarpenter
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:35amIt’s a movie.
Report Post »AmericanBumpkin
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 3:03pmlol no kiddin’. i wanna know who’s left in our country that hasnt been de-sensitized by big-screen entertainment. mass hysteria…. as if.
Report Post »packsack54
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:32amHave not seen the movie, but it just a story. It Hollywood film, I would be more scared from the wolves in Wallstreet and the Government in Washingto DC. They are the real preditors of mankind. My brother has seen grey wolf within 10 yds of him on his walks in the morning. He still alive yet. Google seach Sam Cook, Duluth News Trib for the story.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:25pmneed more than just sam cook and the paper…he is a reporter for the paper. I guess wolves are an issue in Minnesota.
Report Post »how about the exact link? I would be interested in reading the story.
SpankDaMonkey
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:32am.
Report Post »Wolves only attack Muslim Converts……..
AmericanBumpkin
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 2:57pmmaybe this movie should be renamed to “Stupid people vs. Nature” it can be lined up after megashark vs. giant squid on scy-fy channel.
Report Post »NEAF
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:31amIf they hungry, let them eat. What is the big deal.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:30amCrap! There go my wolf killing plans for the weekend!
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:31pmMinnesota lets farmers kill them with a permit; and there is a general culling of 400 being discussed. You could fly up there if the tsa lets you…
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:29amI was looking forward to seeing this movie till I found out that the star Liam Neeson was wanting to convert to Islam. So much for “The Grey”. If Neeson is that far gone he won’t get any of my money.
Report Post »Sleazy Hippo
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:45amYou have no facts that Liam is converting to Islam, he never said he was, and he has not.
The Blaze article took his artistic observations out of context and created a hostile and nasty smear campaign with the resident haters here. Read the article and see if Liam actually converted to Islam or ever stated he had planned to convert to Islam.
Like the deadliest SEAL story about Jesse Ventura, the Neeson story does not pass the smell test.
Report Post »Polarized America
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:09pm‘It really makes me think about becoming a Muslim’: Liam Neeson considers converting to Islam following trip to Istanbul
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2091786/Liam-Neeson-considers-converting-Islam-following-trip-Istanbul.html
Report Post »randy
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:24pmHEY SLEAZY HIPPO, Are you using Chaz Bono’s pic for your avatar? LOL I stopped watching that A$$ Neeson when he slammed God. Just another moron on my “Never Spend another Nickel watching their movie” list.
Report Post »Jezcruzen
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:29amIts a MOVIE… a MOOOOOVIEEEEE! (Why are there always these idiots out there all “concerned” about every little thing all the frigging time?)
Report Post »Diablo4965
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:41amDitto!
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:29amLast I checked it was man who encroached on the habitat of wolves. If a wolf attacks you they are rabid or you ran, as the article said. We have a wolf refuge here in Colorado and you can go into the enclosures and mingle with the wolves. However, you must let them lick you to show them you are part of the pack. This is the only thing that stops me from going in; I can’t stand to be licked.
Wolves are beautiful animals, especially the grey wolf.
Since I am boycotting Liam’s and his movies now, I won’t be going to see this movie.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 12:36pmLOL! can’t stand being licked!
Report Post »goahead.makemyday
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 2:10pmThe whole Don’t Run thing applies to all predators, Running is a natural response when something feels in danger. It is also seen as weakness by predators, since fellow predators always put up a fight.
Report Post »Got2bRoni
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:27amLol. So what. Take your lame peta environmentalist agenda somewhere else.
Report Post »edcoil
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:26amAll meat eaters are predators. you eat them or they eat you. It’s called the food chain.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:24amHow controversial!!! Scadalous!!!
Report Post »V-MAN MACE
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:28am“…you have a better chance of “being hit by lightning, dying of a bee sting or being killed in a vehicle collision with a deer” than being attacked by a terrorist.”
RESIST THE NAZI POLICE STATE!
Report Post »byehlik
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:32amUm? It’s a freaking movie. It is sad but most people “sheeple” will react like the “save the wolves” folks think. But who gives a rats butt? As the country is being destroyed we are worrying about the perception of the wolves? The big bad Obama wolf is the only one that needs extinction! Extinction from office that is. Come on Blaze, not a real story in the context of a perfect storm. Wasted time and effort….
Report Post »rotcarpenter
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:34amTake your meds, V-Mace.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:34amSealing our southern border wouldn’t even protect us from these evil man-killin’ dog like creatures.!!!
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:38amThis movie is the same typical garbage produced by Hollywood.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on January 30, 2012 at 11:54amV Why do you consider Col. Allen West a torturer?
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