American soldiers say militias recruit Iraqi kids to attack them

[sabra]

http://www.fox12news.com/Global/story.asp?S=5428164

American soldiers say militias recruit Iraqi kids to attack them

BAGHDAD, Iraq In America, six-year-olds are usually in first grade. In Iraq, some are being recruited by militias.

...

The militias are assembling gangs of as many as 100 children, some as young as six or seven. Their mission: to throw gasoline bombs and stones at passing U-S convoys. The hope is that the troops will be lured into sniper ambushes.

The soldiers say they've seen young men with bandanas covering their faces, talking to kids before such incidents. Sometimes the children are given slingshots.

An aide to the cleric denies it. But soldiers say there's no mistaking what's going on. And they say they're not firing back because, as one lieutenant puts it, a single round fired anywhere near a gang of children would be "like the shot heard 'round the world."

[rodeodance]

1. Past time to leave Iraq.

[sabra]

2. No doubt. But remember, "hearts and minds..."

[saigon68]

35. LOL handing out slingshots so the volleys will be more accurate

Love it--- Simon Jester at work

Bush is an Ass Clown

[intaglio]

3. Oh what a surprise - NOT.

The IRA and Hamas and Hezbollah have all been identified with using young kids.

[Bonhomme Richard]

4. Shades of Nam. n/t

[sabra]

7. indeed.

:-(

[pinerow]

5. Sounds like the "babies in the incubator" stories...

what next...babies on bayonets...sheesh!

[ECH1969]

6. If you believe the Madhi Army, Badr, or any of the different armed groups

in Iraq wouldn't do this then you don't know them very well.

Hell, our allies in Iraq are willing to use children.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Young children fight U.S. troops in Iraq

Posted on Tue, Sep. 19, 2006
Young children fight U.S. troops in Iraq
ANTONIO CASTANEDA
Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite militias are encouraging children - some as young as 6 or 7 - to hurl stones and gasoline bombs at U.S. convoys, hoping to lure American troops into ambushes or provoke them into shooting back, U.S. soldiers say.

Gangs of up to 100 children assemble in Sadr City, stronghold of radical anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia, and in nearby neighborhoods, U.S. officers said in interviews this week.

American soldiers have seen young men, their faces covered by bandanas, talking with the children before the rock-throwing attacks begin - and sometimes handing out slingshots so the volleys will be more accurate, the troops said.

"It's like a militia operation. They'll mass rocks on the last or second-to-last vehicle" in a U.S. patrol, said Capt. Chris L'Heureux, 30, of Woonsocket, R.I. "There's no doubt in my mind that they're utilizing these kids in a deliberate, thought-out way."

Al-Sadr's followers insist they are not organizing attacks by children.
(snip/...)

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/breaking_news/15556867.htm

[dkofos]

9. Just one more reason to

GET THE FUCK OUT, NOW!!

[lonestarnot]

10. YES NOW!

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

11. Watch City Of God

... you'll see just what kids are capable of doing.

[mike_c]

12. you reach a point where significant numbers from most segments...

...of the population mobilize against the occupation. The same would happen here if the U.S. were subjected to foreign occupation.

[NOLADEM]

14. Yep

If the Red Army rolled down my street when I was 11 years old, it would not have stopped me from attacking them.

Hazards of an illegal occupation.

I guess these kids are a bunch of dead-enders, Dick?

[Javaman]

13. I can see it now...

We didn't massacre those children because we wanted to, they were terrorists throwing rocks at us. And given the state of our government issue body armor, we can't be to careful...

It's indeed a sad state of affairs when the kids are getting into the act. All I see is a new generation that is totally pissed off at us.

Can you blame them?

[Judi Lynn]

15. DU'er grizmaster has pointed out that the headline should have been

taken from the last paragraph:

Soldiers are also using new tools, such as high-decibel speakers, to scare away children. Some youngsters scampered away this week as soon as a soldier pointed a hand-held speaker in their direction.
(snip)

Interesting they are using Iraqi children as guineau pigs, isn't it?

These children, who have seen their homeland devastated in a continuing hell-on-earth, their loved ones slaughtered right before their eyes, should NOT be abused like this. _Bush lied about Iraq to get over there to start murdering the citizens, and zapping protesting children is beyond evil.

Better than shooting them? They should NEVER be threatened by ANY violence from others. PERIOD. Too many criminal idiots for one world to hold.

[leftchick]

18. this is beyong horrible

and I can envision rummy watching with glee. :puke:

[Judi Lynn]

16. Kick!

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Judi Lynn]

17. Kick.

:kick: :kick: :kick:

[Joe Chi Minh]

19. One British soldier committed suicide because of it.

[Judi Lynn]

37. Thanks for the info. Never had heard about that. It's awful that he's

gone, but it does seem better learning there are people who have a hard time with the idea of slaughtering children.

[Joe Chi Minh]

38. Yes, it must be Hell on earth there.

[grizmaster]

20. US military is using sonic weapons on Iraqi children

it just keeps getting worse

last line from the story, which should have been the headline


headline- Young children fight U.S. troops in Iraq

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/breaking_news/15556867.htm

Soldiers are also using new tools, such as high-decibel speakers, to scare away children. Some youngsters scampered away this week as soon as a soldier pointed a hand-held speaker in their direction.


edited to add some reference material on these weapons

http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/5/acousticsofwar.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasound_weapons

In 2005 CNN reported that the crew of the cruise ship Seabourn Spirit used a long range acoustic device (LRAD) to deter pirates who chased and attacked the ship<1>. Its actual efficacy, however, has not been established.
The United States has recently (2004) deployed weapons systems which operate on the basis of high intensity sound, and which have seen service in Iraq. See these links:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5359306/site/newsweek/
http://www.defensetech.org/archives/000807.html
http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,FL_noise_030304,00.html?ESRC=eb.nl
http://www.atcsd.com/PressReleases/02_26_04.html

[Der Blaue Engel]

21. Seems preferable to shooting them n/t

[grizmaster]

23. it's preferable to stabbing them or beating them with baseball bats too

but that doesn't make it acceptable.


And those speakers aren't just everyday speakers, they can kill or hospitalize those that it's turned towards.

[partylessinOhio]

22. Speak up, world, speak up, Pope, speak up and get the US out of Iraq!

We need help to force * to get out of there and stop the killing, the torture, and the continued humiliation of the Iraqi people. We don't have the guts to stop this man internally - we need outside help from the world.

We need help to force this country back to being a peaceful nation and we need help now not tomorrow.

[movonne]

24. Don't think for one moment that they will not use them on us..testing

them out in Iraq...

[grizmaster]

26. just added some more reference to the use of the weapons

to the original post

[TAPat]

25. That's the most depressing thing I've seen today...

and I watched the UN "speech"...

[grizmaster]

28. I just added some more to the post and yes it is depressing

that this is the response to children throwing rocks

[Lars39]

27. K&R

[grizmaster]

30. thanks, don't want this to get lost with all the big news today

I'm still shaking my head that they're using these weapons on kids

[Judi Lynn]

29. Please use the actual title, as I posted in LBN earlier this p.m.

Young children fight U.S. troops in Iraq
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2519340

It's a DU requirement.

[grizmaster]

32. didn't see your post, headline added to link

Talk about having the story ass backwards, that headline is a joke

[Az_lefty]

31. Are they using the new microwave weapon yet?

Oh I forgot, it needs to tested on Merikans first...

[DianaForRussFeingold]

34. Scary! Check Out These Videos

:hi: August 20, 2005: Young woman is held to the ground and tasered at a counter-recruitment demonstration in Pittsburgh, PA. An older woman is bitten by a police dog and then arrested. Two small children are pepper-sprayed and an M.S. patient is toppled in his motorized scooter. These Two Videos Are Extremely Upsetting! Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVdH1G0KQt4 Taser Happy Traffic Officer,Probably had a fight with his wife and took it out on speeder; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGaWDL7ofLQ&mode=related&search=

[High Plains]

33. Time to send in the kids from Jesus Camp.

[Anakin Skywalker]

36. Yeah! I Wanna See

them go at it! :)

[yurbud]

39. no chance this is a PR story is it?