Young Children Fight U.S. Troops in Iraq

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Young Children Fight U.S. Troops in Iraq
Associated Press | September 19, 2006

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.
"Such behavior by Iraqi children is spontaneous and the natural reaction from innocent children who are witnessing horrible deeds committed by the occupation forces in Iraq," Ali al-Yassiri, an aide to al-Sadr, told The Associated Press.

Militants have used children before. Marines in the volatile city of Ramadi say Sunni Arab insurgents often send children to check out U.S. defenses or warn of approaching patrols. And Israeli troops have long faced stone-throwing Palestinian kids.

But the increased use of children in the high-profile Baghdad battle poses a new challenge to American troops seeking to curb Iraqi militias. The tactic also shows the lengths to which militants will go in confronting U.S. troops in a high-stakes fight for control of the capital.

The incidents have seemed to increase since U.S. soldiers moved their security crackdown into Shiite neighborhoods surrounding eastern Baghdad's Sadr City. The U.S. crackdown in the capital is aimed at curbing the power of the Mahdi Army and other sectarian militias.

At one checkpoint, soldiers said hundreds of rocks rained down on their vehicles as they sealed off a neighborhood during a house-to-house search for weapons and militants.

U.S. officers believe the militias are trying to provoke American soldiers into firing on the children or chasing the soldiers into areas where snipers lie in wait.

"Right now the reason we're not (pursuing) is because it's a trap," 1st Lt. Bernard Gardner, 25, of Kinnear, Wyo., said as a group of children pelted his Stryker armored vehicle with rocks. "There's probably one or two snipers out there waiting for us to get in range."

The soldiers are also leery of firing even warning shots in return - worried that could enflame sectarian passions and turn Shiite civilians against the Americans. Part of the offensive's aim is to bolster public confidence in coalition and Iraqi forces.

"If we point a gun at a kid and they take a photo of it, they'll make a zillion flyers out of it," Gardner said. "That's why we have to be so delicate with the rock throwers."

He said just one bullet fired near a group of children would be "like the shot heard 'round the world."

Most children, even in traditionally hostile areas, typically approach U.S. troops to ask for water or candy, not to ambush them. Even as unruly gangs roamed the areas near Sadr City on one recent day, soldiers kept playing with curious children on tamer blocks nearby.

Army intelligence officers say they predicted before the offensive began this summer that militants in Baghdad would make use of children. As expected, the harassment started with small groups of youngsters throwing stones, then escalated into bigger groups of children hurling larger rocks and even pieces of cement blocks.

Attackers are becoming even more brazen: Children recently have begun hurling bottles of oil and even a homemade firebomb at U.S. vehicles, soldiers say.

One child recently jumped on a passing convoy and untied the straps on a load of supplies. Another young boy ran alongside a moving Stryker vehicle before throwing a rock at a soldier.

No serious injuries have been reported in the attacks by children, although one platoon commander was hit in the face with a rock.

Since firing back is considered out of the question, U.S. soldiers have resorted to other methods to control the children.

On a major road leading into Shaab, a Shiite neighborhood in eastern Baghdad, U.S. soldiers stopped all civilian vehicles and pedestrians to pressure adults into dispersing a group of children that were attacking American vehicles.

"If you can't control your kids, you can't use this road," yelled Sgt. 1st Class Eric Sheehan, 33, of Jennerstown, Pa. One pedestrian responded: "But they're not from this neighborhood."

Some adults eventually persuaded the children to leave - for at least a few hours.

"They're gone," Sheehan said. "For now."

Other Iraqi adults have been more helpful. After several rocks were thrown at passing U.S. vehicles in Shaab, soldiers followed one child home. When soldiers told his mother what had happened, she slapped her son across the face in front of them.

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.
 
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Bastards.....the iraqi kid have done to my brother....it is one of his nightmare about shooting the armed kid with AK-47.
 
Damn thats just wrong but they are using our morals and beliefs as weapons against us.
They just got no standards, they are worse than animals, these kids are easy lead and its a hard choice to make, cause you don't know when those rocks are going to turn out to be something else. Shoot clean is all I can say.
Damn.
 
I cant stand how they allow children to fight. But hell if ones aiming a weapon at me, I'll light him up.
 
Its no different than shooting some 10 year old gang banger... when one of them is aiming a weapon at you it gets easier than when you are just playing the what if game in your head.
 
Its no different than shooting some 10 year old gang banger... when one of them is aiming a weapon at you it gets easier than when you are just playing the what if game in your head.
Good point. Of course, it doesn't distract from the overall fact that these guys are using CHILDREN...What does that tell you about enlistments? I think this shows us that they are slowly decreasing in numbers.
 
Just shows you the quality of people we are dealing with.....

And how much of wusses they are that they have to stoop to using children, and inocent civillians as shields....Also shows how brainwashed these people are and how young they start brainwashing them...
 
After thinking about it for a few hours, I don't think they are that few in numbers to rely on kids, but that they are cowards and use children to do things that they would not do themselves.

Different AO: I remember a documentary where a reporter and camera man were follwing Palestinian kids in their day to day lives. They were supporters of Hezbollah, and would often simply "hang out" with a bunch of the hooded terrorists, as they brainwashed the kids, and showed them how to operate RPG-7s, PKMs, AKs, and how to contruct pipe bombs, etc. It was sickening, perverted, and it made me furious.
 
I didn't know you were that old Sandy... nor that Japan had troops in Vietnam.
:mrgreen:
Joke?Joke?
Of course,I say this news seems to be old news paper of vietnam war.
Actually, tactics as boy soldiers is often used all over the world.
 
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Joke?Joke?
Of course,I say this news seems to be old news paper of vietnam war.
Actually, tactics as boy soldiers is often used all over the world.
Just because it is doesn't make it right. I mean, OK, the US uses 17 years of age as the minimum, sure, thats a young man...But thats not 10.
 
I don't think I've ever seen or heard of a 17 year old deployed to a combat zone, probably because between BCT, AIT, unit assignment, pre-deployment training, JRTC, and the infamous "hurry up and wait" BS, I just don't see a 17 y/o getting all that done in a year. I guess you could cut it close if your MOS was a laundry technician (2 wk AIT), but you wouldn't be very happy haha.
 
I'd say the 17 year olds in a combat zone are few very and far in between. I'd also say that there were a lot more back in the good 'ole days when people lied about their age to join the military and actually got away with it or dropped out of school and joined.
 
While we are on the subject I thought this might interest you fellas.

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]The Freshman
by Simone J. Pace


[/FONT] [FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]It was the first day of school in September 1946. Jack, and some 1,500 other students at Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina were in attendance for the start of another school year. Jack sat in his freshman English class with 20 other 9th grade students trying to shake out the mental cobwebs that come from being away from school for any period of time, such as a long summer. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]While Jack was focused on his studies, as he promised his mother he would be, there were times when his thoughts did turn to other things. And he would occasionally think about the war which had recently ended -- a war which was fought to defeat fascism and imperialism -- a war which was still fresh in the minds of many people including that of young Jack. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Jack's thoughts turned to a young U. S. Marine Private First Class known to his buddies as "Luke." [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]When the United States entered the war in December 1941, "Luke", the great-grandson of a Confederate soldier, was enrolled at the Edwards Military Academy in Salemburg, North Carolina. His mother had sent him to this military school at the age of 10 after his father had died and he proved more than a handful for her. He was just 13 at the time the war broke out but appeared older than his years. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]In the summer of 1942, "Luke" left school with the intention of joining the Marines to fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. He forged his mother's consent on enlistment papers that claimed his age to be 17, and, with his cocky style and mature looks, this 5' 8", 168 pound, 14-year old fast-talked his way past a Marine recruiter in Norfolk, Virginia. And, on August 6, 1942, "Luke" became a United States Marine. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]After completing boot camp at Parris Island, he was stationed at Jacksonville Naval Air Station and then was sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. There he was taught to be a machine gunner and was so proficient at it that he was chosen to be an instructor for subsequent classes. But "Luke" wanted to fight in the war, not be an instructor. So, he went AWOL from Camp Lejeune and managed to sneak on board a train with a Marine combat unit heading west. When they arrived in California he answered roll call and admitted his transgression. It didn't make much sense to send him all the way back across the country so "Luke" was assigned to this combat group which then boarded ship for Hawaii and future combat action in the Pacific. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]While in Hawaii in the spring of 1943, his age was uncovered. He was threatened with discharge but talked his way out of it -- he was, however, reassigned from the combat unit to the base depot to drive a truck which he did for the next 18 months. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]As time went on, "Luke" became more and more frustrated with his assignment -- he wanted to fight the Japanese -- the end of the war was clearly in sight and here he was driving a truck in Hawaii. So, this now 16-year old Marine went AWOL from his base assignment on January 9, 1945 and climbed on board a shuttle boat that was taking Marines returning from liberty back to their ships in the harbor. He climbed up the gangway and onto the deck of the USS Dueul, a troop ship, and became a stowaway. The ship steamed out of port the next day. He did not know where it was heading, but, he knew it was into harm's way and that is where "Luke" wanted to be. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]There, as luck would have it, he found that his cousin, also a Marine, was on board. So, he had some friends to cover for him and bring him food and water. On February 8, the 29th day out, so as not to be classified a deserter, "Luke" turned himself in to the authorities on board the ship explaining that he wanted to fight. The Marine battalion commander on board did the only practical thing he could under the circumstances -- he issued "Luke" a rifle and assigned him to "C" Company of the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines with his cousin. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]And on or about his 17th birthday, February 14, 1945, "Luke" learned of the ship's destination...Iwo Jima. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]On February 19, 1945, Iwo Jima D-Day, "Luke" eased himself over the side of the ship with his buddies and climbed down the rope ladders into a waiting landing craft. The 26th Marines assaulted the beach for what was to begin 36 days of intense fighting on this volcanic ash covered island. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]On the second day ashore, "Luke" and the 3 other Marines in his fire team encountered a squad of 8 Japanese soldiers. During the close-in exchange of gunfire "Luke" shot 3 of the Japanese soldiers and then his rifle jammed. As he looked down to clear his weapon, he saw two hand grenades land amongst his team. Yelling, "Grenades," he leaped on one. He pushed the first grenade down into the volcanic ash under his body and pulled the second one under him to protect his buddies from the impending blasts. As he lay on top of the grenades for that split second before they exploded, he thought, "Luke, you're gonna die." The force of the first grenade exploding blew him up into the air and onto his back. Fortunately, the second one did not explode. Blood poured from his mouth. He thought he was dying. As his buddies went forward to wipe up what remained of the enemy squad, a medical corpsmen came to him and administered morphine and first aid. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]"Luke" was evacuated to the hospital ship "Samaritan" where he was declared "too damn young and too damn tough to die." Severely wounded in his right arm, right leg, and chest, he endured 21 reconstructive surgical operations and survived. He was subsequently transferred to the Naval Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina where he completed his convalescence. And there he stayed until his discharge from the service on September 18, 1945. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]On October 5, 1945, "Luke", at the age of 17, was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Harry Truman -- the youngest recipient of that award in the post-Civil War history of our nation. [/FONT]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]So, here we have Jack sitting in his 9th grade English class in 1946 thinking about these events. And, perhaps by now you have surmised that the Marine known to his buddies as "Luke", who at the age of 18 went back to complete high school after the war, was Jack...Jack Lucas...once PFC Jacklyn Lucas...the only high school freshman to hold the Medal of Honor.[/FONT]
LUCAS, JACKLYN HAROLD
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945. Entered service at: Norfolk, Va. Born: 14 February 1928, Plymouth, N.C. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945. While creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close proximity to a fluid and uncertain frontline on D-plus-1 day, Pfc. Lucas and 3 other men were suddenly ambushed by a hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades. Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by 2 grenades which landed directly in front of them, Pfc. Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon 1 grenade and pulled the other under him, absorbing the whole blasting forces of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades from certain injury or possible death but also enabled them to rout the Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Lucas and the U.S. Naval Service.
 
I know that a lot of kids under 18 joined up during WWII, being that my grandfather joined the NY NG when he was 16; he just lied about his age and off he went. He was a radio operator on D-Day, I forget on which beach he landed, but he was 19 by then I think (joined right after Pearl Harbor '41).

Nowadays you need a high school diploma or GED or whatever, and you can't really get away with that. IMHO, if you're qualified mentally, physically, AND legally for a particular job (in the military), you should have the opportunity to do it, without jumping through so many bureaucratic hoops. Off the soapbox for me.
 
Well I'll be damned...If that doesn't show the young men in it, I don't know WHAT does...That's a truely moving story, CK. Thank you.
 
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