David Englin, Child Soldier

The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers today released its Child Soldiers Global Report 2004. The report is worth a look, and it's clear from today's press reports that the international community is primarily concerned with the use of child soldiers by several African countries. However, it's also worth noting that the United States has taken some heat on this issue. I first swore into the U.S. military when I was 17 years old, and my mother had to sign a permission slip allowing me to join, making me a "child soldier" at the time. Here's a nice summary from the Christian Science Monitor:

Where child soldiers fight

Since 2001, some 40,000 children have been demobilized as wars ended in Afghanistan, Angola, and Sierra Leone.

Governments that use child soldiers include Burma, Burundi, Congo, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Rwanda, Sudan, and Uganda.

Since 2001, 25,000 children have been drawn into new conflicts in Ivory Coast and Sudan alone.

The US has used 17-year-olds in Iraq, but later withdrew them.

Colombia and Zimbabwe back militias that use child soldiers, while Israel, Indonesia, and Nepal use children as informants, spies, or messengers.

Source: Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, www.child-soldiers.org