Argumentative Essay On Child Soldiers

Recently, two million children have died over the past ten years due to becoming a child soldier. A huge deplorable development that has extended recently is the increase of child soldiers. Children are constantly being used as soldiers for various reasons. In some countries, there are more child soldiers than they are adults because children are more compliant. Children have been exploited as soldiers because they are being recruited to do a violent action, it is difficult for them to, later on, assimilate back to their lives, and child soldiers are regularly used in developing countries.

A lot of the children interviewed within the first chapter of Peter W. Singer’s book Children at War are under the age of 12. They speak of torturing people in the most horrific of ways. Such as when joining the paramilitaries, A., age twelve, states that the first thing they make you do is kill someone. A random person is picked for the recruits to chop off his hands and arms. It is important to realize however, that not all of these child soldiers are as young as 7. Singer explains that a “A ‘child soldier’ is generally defined (under both international law and common practice) as any person under eighteen years of age who is engaged in deadly combat or combat support as part of an armed force or group.” What is most horrendous is

Although some may argue that child soldiers should be given amnesty and not be punished for their crimes they are wrong. For example, they had a decision and many chances to not commit crimes, but most child soldiers decided to keep on living and kill their families. In the article, “Child Soldiers: Victims or Perpetrators”, they discuss that child soldiers join because they get tricked. As it states, “Children are forced by commanders through false promises, drugs and things which you can’t even imagine, to kill innocent civilians, other children and even their own families.” This shows kids could’ve denied being a soldier but they easily fall for trick to join then they decide to kill their families because they get told to do so.

For several years the use of children are being used in both civil and state wars. Over 300,000 children are being used and hundreds of thousands are being sent to war in 36 different armed conflicts global (Children of war). These children are as young as 8 years old they have committed some of the most violent acts of crime such as rape, mutilation and mass murders of innocent civilians but some of this children are forced and drugged but also some have volunteered so real questions is should the Child Solders be prosecuted for their crime or can they be rehabilitated?

The thought of a child behind bars for war crimes is atrocious. People may see it as justified though. Those people see it as fair to have a child that was manipulated and drugged into fighting be faced with the crimes they had contributed to. On one side of the argument, child soldiers should not be granted amnesty because most are fully aware of what their doing when enlisting. On the other side, child soldiers should be granted amnesty. More often than not children have no say in whether they enlist or not and once recruited the children become brainwashed from the usage of drugs and alcohol. Systematic drug taking is especially reported among West African-based militia movements. In fact, some authors consider hallucinatory drug intake

On average half of the children who are fighting on rebel armies in africa were kidnapped and forced to take drugs, most of these kids are not even 15 years old but they have to fight or they will be killed by the rebel commanders. If any of these children escape the war they may have many years to a life time of PTSD and become scarred for life. From this I believe that child soldiers are victims and should not be punished by what rebels force them to do.

Many people believe that if child soldiers are not prosecuted for their war crimes, warlords and cruel leaders will use children to commit the worst crimes without fear of punishment. This is mentioned in the article “Child Soldiers: If Not Prosecution, Then What?” The article quotes the authors of the book International Criminal Accountability and Children’s Rights, saying: “[If child soldiers aren’t prosecuted] is there a danger that warlords may delegate more atrocities to be committed by child soldiers?” (2017). When one first thinks about it, this may be a valid concern.

In the middle east there is a lot of war, and a lot of fighting. These wars are brutal and part of the reason for that is because of child soldiers. In the sub sahara part of Africa, countries force young children to fight in wars. Some may think that these children are perpetrators, but it is obvious that these children are victims of brutal and unsophisticated crimes. They should be forgiven for their crimes and the people behind the real atrocity of forcing children to fight in wars, should be arrested and punished harshly.

Are you aware that right now, at this very moment, there is a group of young boys ages 8-13 who are clenching a gun being ordered to kill against their will? It’s understood that others opinions about the dangers of child soldiers being free are only because they don’t want to risk anything but, isn’t life all about taking risks? You risk your life leaving the house, and breathing. Also, countries should not prosecute child soldiers for the crimes they committed during wartime. There also should not be an international minimum age of criminal responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Here are three reasons why they should not be prosecuted or held responsible. Also that there should not be an age limit. One. Children are afraid, young, and clueless. Two. Children are 99.99% of the time drugged, forced, and brainwashed. “Children are often brainwashed and drugged before they are forced to fight. Their vulnerability can allow warlords to make them into cold-blooded killers” (O'Neill 1 ). Three. Children are independent, lonesome, and they want/need a family. One that gives them love.

As previously stated, child soldiers are typically viewed as more easily replaced than other soldiers. In turn, this leads to more brutal punishments and a lack of consideration for their wellbeing. The punishments inflicted on the children are similar or worse than the ones inflicted on their adult counterparts which imposes damage that is more destructive to a child than to an adult (Sierra Leone’s Former Child Soldiers). Additionally, the Revolutionary United Front used drugs and alcohol in order to control children and increase their intensity and because of this, many children quickly became addicts. A former child soldier, Ishamael Beah spoke of his experience of cocaine and marijuana withdrawal after being taken off the battle field

Imagine looking around you and seeing children your age and younger falling to their knees in pain, imagine hearing guns and screams all around you, now just imagine you are one of those children falling to their knees in pain and you had no choice to join into this gruesome reality that children 5-15 and older have to participate in without a choice. This is just an example of what most children have to go through for weeks or maybe months at a time. This is exactly why I'm against the prosecution of child soldiers. The deeds that they perform are because they have either been manipulated, have no choice, or they just don't know right from wrong. Prosecuting a child soldier is probably the worst decision ever and here is why.

All around the world more than 10 million children under the age of 18 are fighting in a war. More than half voluntarily, and the other fourth forced. These children are drugged, and taught that it is good to be a slaughterer, a murderer. Yes, some don’t have a choice. But to think of all the things they were mindlessly taught. Do you really think they can change, just like that? Child soldiers have been responsible for some of the most brutal and violent acts in wartime, and many who are released into the real world, end up going back into their old ways. Not prosecuting child soldiers may encourage commanders to use more child soldiers to commit war crimes that would otherwise be punished if an adult did them. Do we really want a bunch of

If someone who was close to you were killed by the government because they committed war crimes you would surely be upset but you would probably understand why they were killed, but if your friend was under the age of 18 than you would most likely be outraged at the government. Now this doesn’t happen often here in america but in foreign countries this is sadly the cold truth and it's not without its reasons. But are those reasons worth it well let's find out.

Child Soldiers Most Americans don’t want war in America, the sad fact is that it is already here. In the sad issue of child soldiers first arose in World War One and has stuck around in many foreign countries. America has fought the war of deciding whether or not the child soldiers should be put on trial for killing American soldiers. The issue of Child soldiers is complicated and there are very plausible point for both arguments.

“Compelled to become instruments of war, to kill and be killed, child soldiers are forced to give violent expression to the hatreds of adults” (“Child Soldiers” 1). This quotation by Olara Otunnu explains that children are forced into becoming weapons of war. Children under 18 years old are being recruited into the army because of poverty issues, multiple economic problems, and the qualities of children, however, many organizations are trying to implement ways to stop the human rights violation.