Quote Originally Posted by Kiwigrunt View Post
Now where kids come into this, well, I think I’d have to agree with some above in saying that it ‘should’ be irrelevant. Technically and legally anyway. How we deal with it morally is less clear cut.

I should think that putting age limits in place is silly and counter productive. M-A Lagrange mentioned up-thread that a 7 year old is not supposed to be able to carry a gun. What if you encounter a 6 year old who is? Be forced to allow him to shoot you because he’s only 6? The moral issue remains. But taking it beyond that through ROE etc. may have an adverse effect in that it gives the enemy something to play with, as JMA point out.
Kiwi,

The point in age limit is for the criminal who recruites children, not for the one confronted to them. A child soldier is a child but and ALSO a soldier.

The age limitis first a "natural thought": a 3 years old kid cannot be used as child soldier. Even, he is extremely vulnerable.
Secondly it is a legal tool: recruiting child soldiers is an offence. Recruiting below 7 years old kid is a graver offense.
Finally, it's biological: it's a question of muscles being developed enough to resist to the backfire from shooting gun.
No one said that you have to get killed or wounded first. If he is 6 and strong enough to shoot with an AK... Then he is a combattant.

As JMM noted, child soldiers are combattants by GV and ICRC criterias, same rules for them.
Setting TOE and ROE just for child soldiers is a nonsense. (Prisonners prefered could be the best input.)