"Often recruited or abducted to join armies, many of these children - some younger than 10 years old - have witnessed or taken part in acts of unbelievable violence, often against their own families or communities. Such children are exposed to the worst dangers and the most horrible suffering, both psychological and physical. What is more, they are easily manipulated and encouraged to commit grievous acts, which they are often unable to comprehend. Many girl soldiers are expected to provide sexual services as well as to fight."
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Imagine being a kid swept up in the nightmare of war and atrocities! It is almost unimaginable to me. Amnesty International and other organizations have been trying to help save and rehabilitate child soldiers; documentaries have been shown about them, and they are hard to watch because these kids tell stories of brutality that leave you feeling stunned. Who would do this to little kids? What young kid could ever resist being compliant, even though they know the men who recruit them have done terrible things to their families?

One such child was Omar Amed Khadr. Caught by us when he was 15 years old and sent to Guatanamo Bay. He will soon go to trial, but there is little sympathy for him. No recognition that he was a child-soldier.

"Most witnesses in Mr. Khadr’s case are expected to be military personnel who took part in a 2002 firefight in Afghanistan when an American special forces soldier, Sgt. First Class Christopher James Speer, 28, was fatally wounded. Mr. Khadr, who was 15 at the time, was badly injured."
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15 years old? Instead of realizing this boy was a child soldier, our government is trying him in a secret trial where he will be treated as an adult solider and without what some regard as due process of law.

It seems so hypocritical for us to be supporting agencies involved in trying to help child-soldiers globally, while giving this one the harshest treatment possible.

Child-soldiers do terrible things, but the rehabilition programs can help them survive the brainwashing or psychological abuse they suffered. Most of these kids really are victims who deserve another chance at life. They at least deserve a fair trial.