[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

The deal is that Bush & Co. do not want to be known as killing "soldiers" ages 14 and under. Hence the cryptic reference here.

[truth_seeker]

"The deal is that Bush & Co. do not want to be known as killing "soldiers" ages 14 and under. Hence the cryptic reference here."

I think you have identified the situation. These young people have been mentioned in print media, recently. Fanatical, brainwashed...which is a sad fact, in a ruthless, bloody dictatorial authoritarian regime.

Hence the political/humanitarian sensitivity. Better to just get the killing done, with no "publicity."

The sooner all the killing gets done, the sooner the killing will be over. Or nearly over.

The political, media control, humanitarian issues have been dealt with about as masterfully, as the raw military aspects. IMO

[MattAMiller]

Sounds like a good guess to me. These Ba'athists are truly evil.

[JimRed]

The deal is that Bush & Co. do not want to be known as killing "soldiers" ages 14 and under.

Old enough to fight, old enough to die. And old enough to kill our guys if they hesitate.