Soldier makes an ass of himself

KABUL – A frustrated Afghan soldier who could not afford to get married has been released without charge after being caught having sex with a donkey, police said Tuesday.

The soldier, who was not identified, was detained for several days last week after a young boy spotted him with the animal in an abandoned house in the southeastern town of Gardez. “The man insisted he had no other choice but the donkey because he could not afford to pay a dowry to get married,” a local police officer told Reuters.The man had since been released without charge, he said.In many parts of Afghanistan men must pay at least US$3 000 to the parents of their prospective bride, making marriage difficult for many in a country where the average annual income is only a few hundred dollars.Under the strict Islamic rule of the fundamentalist Taliban regime overthrown in 2001, sex outside of marriage or bestiality were punished by stoning to death or flogging.- Nampa-Reuters”The man insisted he had no other choice but the donkey because he could not afford to pay a dowry to get married,” a local police officer told Reuters.The man had since been released without charge, he said.In many parts of Afghanistan men must pay at least US$3 000 to the parents of their prospective bride, making marriage difficult for many in a country where the average annual income is only a few hundred dollars.Under the strict Islamic rule of the fundamentalist Taliban regime overthrown in 2001, sex outside of marriage or bestiality were punished by stoning to death or flogging.- Nampa-Reuters