The recent explosion in popularity of a video highlighting the crimes of Joseph Kony, the Ugandan warlord who has become infamous for his use of child soldiers, has refocused attention on the problem of children forced into military service. Over the course of 30 years, Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is accused of capturing 30,000 children andpressing them into service.
Above, a former soldier of the LRA looks out a window at the Gulu Children Protection Unit after he was captured by the Ugandan Army with other rebels 2004.
GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images)
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CHARAN
12:03 PM ET
October 30, 2010
why do u sponsor them?
I dare Amnesty international to challenge the oil companies and the diamond merchants who sponsor these wars in africa. I wish Africa was poor-devoid of rich minerals, only then there would be peace. For the dim-headed editors of FP, have you ever tried to trace the supply-chain of RPGs, machine-guns, grenades and mortars used by the child-warriors here? That said, these kids are born and they live and die in a society completely different from yours? WHat is the life expectancy anyway?
WINSTON SMITH 9584
10:34 AM ET
November 1, 2010
Obama must reverse this decision.
Just when I thought I lost all trust in President Obama's promises to end Bush's numerous foreign policy abuses, embrace of militarism, torture (which is a war crime) and numerous other illegal actions...Obama's allowing our military to aid and work with country's that use child soldiers is outrageous.
This paragraph from the other FP article on the article is truly repugnant...."I hereby determine that it is in the national interest of the United States to waive the application to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Yemen of the prohibition in section 404(a) of the [Child Service Prevention Act]," President Obama wrote in a memorandum to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
It is not in our "national interest" to assist and enable the militaries of country's that use child soldiers. Unless Obama reverses this decision and accounts for the human rights abuses caused by our foreign policy and military, the decision by Obama to allow our military to aid and work with countries that use child soldiers will further establish our nation and military as a human rights violator.
RAY GIBBS
8:15 PM ET
November 6, 2010
Babes Wasted...in Wars's Wasteland.
War Crime (s)
RAY GIBBS
8:34 PM ET
November 6, 2010
Babes Wasted...in Wars's Wasteland.
Agree with Winston Smith's comment. President Obama is dancing on the thin ice of War Crimes. Please (U.N., National & World Press) call President Obama out.
LIORIDIT
3:52 PM ET
November 9, 2010
Recognize plight of girl child soldiers
I appreciate the attention being brought to this issue, but at least as many girls as boys are child soldiers in these same conflicts around the world. Often, they don't carry guns, but they cook, carry supplies, and serve as forced 'bushwives' to the soldiers. I hope a future essay does justice to their plight too.
KUMHO
1:16 AM ET
November 12, 2010
kumho
War Crime parça kontör
ALICE_HOWTOWN
12:05 AM ET
November 19, 2010
Babes Wasted...in Wars's Wasteland
Unless Obama reverses this tatil decision and accounts for the human rights abuses caused by our foreign policy and military, gazeteler the decision by Obama to allow our military to aid and work with countries instyler that use child soldiers will further establish our nation and military as a human tv shop rights violator.