Quote Originally Posted by subrosa View Post
The argument that child soldiers are not only a third world problem cannot be made by showing pictures of European children from a century ago.
The pictures were to show two things. That not only the economically deprived rather anyone who is desperate will employ younger than the norm fighters and that said fighters were using rifles before there was an AK.

Consider the straits all the combatant nations were in a the time of the pictures. Desperately short of manpower...

The point was not that it was a "third world problem." There was absolutely no intent to pose the 'argument' you suggest. Indeed, IMO, it is not even a problem except in the minds of those who are foolishly determined to make it problematic. There's a large body of modern thought that holds those underage (whatever that means) should not or cannot be held to the same standard as 'adults.' That is insane. 'Child Soldiers' is, as I said, often a misnomer and 'young killer's is a far better appellation.

While the third world / economically deprived aspect is currently prevalent the pictures also illustrate that given the right (or wrong...) circumstances, the west likely will go back to doing what it has done before and what is done all over the world, using all available people power in a pinch.

The real issue and my only point in posting in this thread is that everyone should realize that regardless of genesis and / or age ethnicity, economic circumstances or whatever, they are still dangerous and still combatants. Period.