Children Now Doing Battle In Iraq

Children Now Doing Battle In Iraq

www.latimes.com

Child fighters, once a rare presence on Iraq's battlefields, are playing a significant and growing role in kidnappings, killings and roadside bombings in the country, U.S. military officials say.

He said the children make effective fighters because they are easily influenced, don't experience fear in the same way as adults and don't draw as much scrutiny from U.S. forces.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Sad to see that children are now being used a lot more in the Iraq conflict

some children have told interrogators that their parents encouraged them to do the militants' dirty work because the extremists have deep pockets.

Insurgents typically pay the boys $200 to $300 to plant a bomb, enough to support a family for two or three months, say their Iraqi instructors at a U.S. rehabilitation center.

And the parents mustnt give a toss about their kids either although maybe they think its worth the gamble for the big pay day.

www.latimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 28-8-2007 by The_Coo]

[edit on 28-8-2007 by The_Coo]

[edit on 28-8-2007 by The_Coo]

Originally posted by The_Coo

And the parents mustnt give a toss about their kids either although maybe they think its worth the gamble for the big pay day.

Here's a thought (I've no proof for this, just speculating for the heck of it) -- maybe the kids have no parents (died from IED, collateral damage, same difference).

Or more likely, the parent don't know. You know how idealistic a child can be. Easy targets for charismatic recruiters, plus the pay seems pretty good in the kid's reasoning (here I'm speculating again, but I was a kid once..)