Posted on 01/06/2010 10:23:46 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
As Yemen's beleaguered government launches a new offensive against al-Qaida, the other conflict in the troubled Arabian peninsula state takes a shocking twist: The regime and tribal rebels in the north are both using child soldiers, according to aid officials. Child soldiers have been a feature of warfare throughout history, although these days there are international laws that prohibit the use of children under 18 in conflicts. But they are difficult to enforce and are widely ignored, even though persistent failure to prevent children taking part in combat is considered a war crime by the International Criminal Court.
In Yemen, one of the most impoverished states in the Arab world, there are three times as many guns as there people, and young boys learn to carry an AK-47s from an early age.
But as the country descends into chaos with the government fighting a stubborn rebellion by Shiite tribes in the north, an increasingly violent secessionist movement in the south and a resurgent al-Qaida, the use of children by the various combatant forces is increasing, rights groups report.
As many as 500-600 children are killed or wounded through direct involvement in tribal combat in Yemen every year, according to Abdul-Rahman al-Marwani, chairman of a local non-governmental organization working to prevent the use of child soldiers.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacewar.com ...
They’re gonna need more Khat.
Isn’t it kind of impotent to even mention the ICC?
If the ICC ever captures and charges a leader of any muslim militia for war crimes, I will cook and eat my shoe.
You will need some A-1 sauce and salt.
I’m pretty sure the salt will spoil before I need to do any cooking.
Thats probably true
Ironically, I think we don’t sign on to the UN treaty because our soldiers can be as young as 17, while the international masters say they have to be 18.
So now our 17 year olds can shoot their 13 year olds without worrying about violating a treaty.
Go figure.
K.
AK-47 stick?
Is it "s" for "small", as in a cut down, child sized version?
Maybe the "s" designation indicates that it is the dreaded SEMI-automatic AK47?
Or is it "s" for some sort of "Super" AK-47?
Or is this just written by yet another illiterate journalism school graduate?
I don’t care what the enemy combatants’ ages are. If they are firing guns or totin’ bombs, they should be shot down like mad dogs in the street that are attacking. ....The ICC, Geneva Convention, United Nations and all of those other phoney organizations and their “treaties” don’t apply, IMO, when you have terriorists that don’t represent a recognized State/Country and don’t wear a recognizable uniform when involved in “combat”. ...The terriorist groups are inhumane to indoctrinate their children and use them as cannon fodder.
I agree. Mostly, heh.
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