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SAMURAI
11.03.2005, 19:37
FOLTERSKANDAL

US-Soldaten hielten Elfjährigen in Abu Ghureib gefangen

Im berüchtigten irakischen Gefängnis Abu Ghureib sollen zwei 17-jährige Jugendliche von US-Soldaten misshandelt worden sein. Auch ein Elfjähriger wurde nach einem Bericht der amerikanischen Streitkräfte in dem Gefängnis festgehalten.

DPA
Abu Ghureib: Jugendliche sollen in dem irakischen Gefängnis inhaftiert gewesen sein
Washington - Die US-Streitkräfte haben bislang stets versichert, dass unter den in Abu Ghureib misshandelten Gefangenen keine Jugendlichen gewesen seien. Aus Dokumenten der US-Armee geht jetzt hervor, dass in dem Gefängnis ein elfjähriger Junge inhaftiert war. Die Amerikanische Union für Bürgerrechte (ACLU) hatte die Unterlagen gestern Abend veröffentlicht. Das Gefängnis in der Nähe von Bagdad steht im Mittelpunkt des Folterskandals der US-Soldaten im Irak.

Nach den nun veröffentlichten Aussagen von sechs Zeugen zwangen in Abu Ghureib drei betrunkene Soldaten und ein Übersetzer eine 17-jährige Irakerin, ihre Brüste zu entblößen und küssten sie. Die Schuldigen seien nicht zur Rechenschaft gezogen worden, berichteten die Zeugen. Zudem sagte ein Soldat aus, Anfang 2004 sei ein 17-Jähriger mit Matsch und Wasser übergossen worden, um dessen Vater, einen irakischen General, zur Aussage zu bewegen.

Die Inhaftierung von Jugendlichen und Frauen in Abu Ghureib begann nach Auskunft der ehemaligen Gefängnisleiterin Janis Karpinski im Sommer 2003. Die Zustände in dem Gefängnis seien besser gewesen als in den Haftanstalten in Bagdad, in die Jugendliche bis dahin gebracht worden waren, begründete Karpinski in einem Interview mit US-Ermittlern, dessen Abschrift die ACLU veröffentlichte. Sie habe die jüngsten Häftlinge oft besucht und dort einen Jungen gesehen, den sie auf acht Jahre geschätzt habe, berichtete sie. "Er sagte mir, er sei fast zwölf. Sein Bruder war bei ihm, aber er wollte dringend seine Mutter sehen, ob er sie bitte anrufen könnte. Er weinte." Karpinski sagte nicht, was mit dem Jungen passiert ist und warum er gefangen gehalten wurde.

Die Gefängnisleiterin war nach Bekanntwerden des Folterskandals abgemahnt und vom Dienst suspendiert worden. Auch US-Soldatin Lynndie England muss mit Konsequenzen rechnen: Die heute 22-Jährige muss sich wegen des Folterskandals am 3. Mai vor einem US-Militärgericht verantworten. Die Verhandlung finde in Fort Hood im Bundesstaat Texas statt, teilte die Armee heute mit

Fotos aus dem Abu-Ghureib-Gefängnis, die unter anderem zeigen, wie England einen nackten irakischen Gefangenen an einer Hundeleine hält, hatten im vergangenen Jahr in der ganzen Welt Entsetzen und Kritik an der US-Regierung ausgelöst.

Der Soldatin drohen im Falle eines Schuldspruchs bis zu sechzehneinhalb Jahre Haft. Im vergangenen Monat hatte die Staatsanwaltschaft die Zahl der Vorwürfe von 19 auf neun reduziert, ohne einen Grund für diese Entscheidung zu nennen. England werden unter anderem Misshandlung von Gefangenen, Unzucht, Pflichtversäumnis und Verschwörung vorgeworfen.

Im bisher einzigen Gerichtsurteil gegen einen Beteiligten an dem Folterskandal wurde Englands ehemaliger Geliebter Charles Graner zu zehn Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt. Gegen eine weitere ehemalige Aufseherin des Abu-Ghureib-Gefängnisses wird am 12. Mai vor demselben Militärgericht in Fort Hood verhandelt. Sechs weitere in den Skandal verwickelte Soldaten hatten sich in ihren Verfahren schuldig bekannt und erhielten zum Teil Gefängnisstrafen bis zu acht Jahre.

Keiner regt sich mehr auf - es ist eben die Normalität der Unmoral. :rolleyes:

Igel
11.03.2005, 19:45
schon mal was von kindersoldaten gehoert. das sind kinder die gedrillt werden zu toeten . besonders unter saddam hussein gab es sie auch:

Die Angst vor Saddams Kindersoldaten

Von Markus Becker

Sollte es zum Krieg im Irak und zum Häuserkampf in Bagdad kommen, werden amerikanische Soldaten auf eine Bedrohung stoßen, die sie in einen grausamen Gewissenskonflikt bringen kann: Kindersoldaten, die zu Tausenden in Saddam Husseins Heer kämpfen und auf Töten programmiert sind - wie etwa der "Löwenclub Saddams".
http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/0,1518,232588,00.html

Igel
11.03.2005, 19:53
Child Soldiers in Iraq

Over the past decade, the regime of Saddam Husayn has intentionally laid the groundwork for the use of child soldiers (defined under international law as any child under the age of 18 recruited into an armed organization and/or engaged in political violence), with a broad program of recruitment and training. Since the mid-1990s, there have been yearly military-style summer "boot camps," organized by the regime for thousands of Iraqi boys. During these 3 week long sessions, boys as young as 10 years old are run through drills, taught the use of small arms, and provided with heavy doses of Ba'athist political indoctrination. The military training camps are often named after resonating current events, to galvanize recruitment and bolster political support (for example, the 2001 summer camp series was named for the "Al Aqsa Intifada"). In addition, since 1998, there have been a series of training and military preparedness programs directed at the entire Iraqi population. Youths as young as 15 have been included in these programs. The preparedness sessions, which generally run for two hours a day over a 40 day span, have mandated drilling and training on small arms.


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See additional research on Iraq.

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There are many reason for Iraq's program of child soldier training and recruitment. A common means for totalitarian regimes to maintain control is to set their country on a constant war footing and militarize society. This justifies heavy hierarchic control and helps divert internal tensions towards external foes. The recruitment, training, and indoctrination of children also offers the regime the opportunity to deepen its reach into Iraqi society. In addition, children make up a large portion of the population in Iraq, as in the wider Arab world; approximately one half of the Iraqi population is under the age of 18 (roughly 11 million out of 22 million total citizens). Thus, this significant youth cohort represents a deep pool of potential forces for the regime, as well as a potential destabilizing threat, if it were not organized toward the regime's goals.

In addition to these training programs, Iraq has also organized several child soldier units. Some of these units fall under the rubric of the Futuwah (Youth Vanguard) movement, a Ba'ath party organ formed in the late 1970s and aimed at establishing a paramilitary organization among children at secondary school level. In this regime-run program, children as young as 12 are organized into units and receive military training and political indoctrination. Units of this force were even pressed into service during the nadir of Iraqi fortunes in the war against Iran (in the mid-1980s).

The most important Iraqi child soldier units, though, are the Ashbal Saddam (Saddam Lion Cubs). This is a more recent organization, formed after the defeat in the 1991 Gulf War, when the regime's hold on power faltered. The Ashbal Saddam involve boys between the ages of 10 and 15, who attend military training camps and learn the use of small arms and infantry tactics. The camps involve as much as 14 hours per day of military training and political indoctrination. They also employ training techniques intended to desensitize the youth to violence, including frequent beatings and deliberate cruelty to animals. The exact numbers of the Ashbal Saddam are not known, but there are an estimated 8,000 members in Baghdad alone.

The Ashbal Saddam also acts as a feeder program to the Fidayin Saddam (Saddam's Men of Sacrifice). The Fidayin is a paramilitary organization controlled by Saddam's eldest son Uday. It is one of many internal security services that the regime employs to control Iraq and intimidate the Iraqi populace.

The Effect of Children on a Potential Iraqi Battlefield

Given the large number of child soldiers in Iraq and their apparent importance to the regime's survival strategy, U.S. and allied forces should be prepared to face child soldiers in a potential invasion of Iraq. Based on historical parallels, including the Hitler Jugend (the Hitler Youth, a similar children's paramilitary program in Nazi Germany), it is most likely that the Ashbal Saddam and other armed Iraqi youths would be deployed in small units, serving as light infantry and irregulars, to defend Iraqi cities, particularly Baghdad. Their most likely use will be in small-scale ambushes, sniping, and roadblocks, similar to the Jugend in 1945. It is also possible that they would be employed in terrorist-type operations behind the battlelines. Because Iraq's child soldiers have been rigorously indoctrinated by the regime, the flow of the war and even the disintegration of resistance by regular Iraqi military forces may have little impact on their actions. Indeed, if the record of other child soldier conflicts holds true, Iraqi child soldiers may become most problematic in the closing stages of the war or even when the war is seemingly over.

Iraq's employment of child soldiers will present a considerable challenge for U.S. public diplomacy, especially in the Arab world (but also at home), where images of coalition forces fighting Iraqi children could have profound consequences. U.S. forces engaging child soldiers will be a tragedy regardless of the mission's rationale or level of public support. In the context of an invasion of an Arab state by Westerners, though, the death of any children, even child soldiers, would likely resonate across the Islamic world. The U.S. should expect that these children would be portrayed in the Muslim press as heroic martyrs defending their homes against the American Goliath. These images would obviously hamper U.S. public information efforts to demonstrate the justness of the cause and the special precautions taken to protect innocents.

Given the overwhelming military advantages of the United States, Baghdad's use of child soldiers is not likely to affect the outcome of a war with Iraq. However, child soldiers could create considerable problems for coalition forces. Experiences from across the globe demonstrate that children can make effective combatants and often operate with unexpected and terrifying audacity, particularly when infused with religious or political fervor, or when under the influence of narcotics. In general, the presence of children on the battlefield adds to the overall confusion of battle. Child soldiers could slow the progress of U.S. forces, particularly when operating in an urban environment, and needlessly add to casualty totals on both sides.

When professional forces face child soldiers, their opponents are still children, a special category of individuals traditionally considered outside the scope of war. Thus, beyond their impact on the battle itself, their use by Iraq presents two added concerns for U.S. forces. First, professional soldiers generally feel great empathy toward children caught up in war. Consequently, engagements with child soldiers have often proven demoralizing for professional troops and affected their unit cohesion. For example, even though U.S. troops were fully committed to the war against Nazi Germany, American units fighting the Hitler Jugend in 1945 had the lowest morale of any U.S. forces during the entire course of the war, even though victory was in sight. Likewise, British forces operating in West Africa in 2001 faced deep problems of clinical depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among individual troops who had faced child soldiers.

Dealing with Iraq Child Soldiers

In a war against Iraq, U.S. troops will be put into a situation where they face real and serious threats from opponents whom they generally would prefer not to harm. While they may be youngsters, because of the increasing simplicity and lethality of modern small arms, child soldiers cannot be dismissed as military threats. A bullet from a fourteen year old's gun can kill just as well as one from a forty year old's. Therefore, U.S. commanders must prepare their soldiers for the hard decisions they may face, in order to avoid any confusion over rules of engagement or even momentary hesitation prompted by shock at the age of their foes. For example, British Army forces operating in West Africa were unprepared for the psychological impact of fighting child soldiers. In one case, an entire patrol was captured because the commanding officer was unwilling to fire on "...children armed with AKs."

At the same time, the United States must also be prepared for the impact of Iraqi child soldiers on world opinion. If not carefully managed, this aspect of the information warfare could be easily lost. The United States should anticipate the likely use of child soldiers by Iraq and begin to set the stage for countering this effort through diplomatic means. This includes mobilizing the United Nations, Arab political leaders, and Islamic religious experts to condemn the practice for what it is, a clear violation of both international and Islamic law. The U.S. should be prepared to remind the world of the clear admonition of Nobel Peace Prize recipient Desmond Tutu, "It is immoral that adults should want children to fight their wars for them...There is simply no excuse, no acceptable argument for arming children."

The potential of facing Iraqi child soldiers also demands that military adjustments be made as well. Historical experience has demonstrated a number of effective methods to handle combat situations when professional troops are confronted by child soldiers. These include:


Recognize the threat from child soldiers. All children are not threats and certainly should not be targeted as such. However, force protection measures must include the possibility—or even likelihood—of child soldiers and child terrorists. This includes changing practices of letting children mingle among pickets and putting children through the same inspection and scrutiny as adults at checkpoints.
Develop rules of engagement. Ultimately, U.S. troops in any invasion of Iraq will be placed in the difficult position of having to fire on a child for their own protection. Military leaders must anticipate this terrible dilemma and prepare their soldiers with the strict ROE guidelines on when to take this decision.
Utilize fear first, rather than firepower. When U.S. forces do face engagement with child soldier forces, best practice appears to be to hold the threat at a distance and initially fire for shock, to attempt to break up the child units, which often are not cohesive fighting forces. Demonstrative artillery fires (including use of smoke) and helicopter gunship passes and fires have been proven especially effective in shocking and breaking up child soldier forces in other regions.
Focus on adult leaders of child soldier units. When forced into close engagement, forces should prioritize the targeting and elimination any adult leaders. Their hold over the unit is often the center of gravity.
Employ non-lethal weaponry. Wherever possible, U.S. military commanders and policy-makers should explore options for using non-lethal weapons in situations that involve child soldiers. These may not only be more effective and humane for dealing with child soldiers than other, more traditional, lethal means, but will certainly avoid the terrible public affairs costs.
Employ PsyOps. Psychological operations should be integrated into overall efforts, in order to convince child soldiers to stop fighting, leave their units, and begin the process of rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Follow-up yields success. The defeat of a child soldier-based opposition does not just take place on the battlefield. U.S. forces should be ready to take measures to quickly welcome and care for child soldier escapees and POWs, so as to encourage others to surrender as well. Once soldiers have ensured that a child does not present a threat, they should address any immediate needs of food, clothing, and/or shelter. As soon as possible, the child should be turned over to health-care or NGO professionals.
Explain and blame. In responding to any child soldier engagements, public affairs specialists should stress the context under which they occurred and the importance of the overall mission. Military spokespersons should call attention to our efforts to minimize the killing of child soldiers, such as the use of non-lethal weapons, psychological operations, and firing for shock effect. At the same time, military spokespersons should make clear that child soldiers are just as lethal with an assault rifle as an adult. Of greatest importance, U.S. spokesmen should emphasize that blame for child soldier casualties is properly placed on a regime that has illegally forced children into the military sphere and sends them to do its dirty work. They should stress how the regime of Saddam Husayn has intentionally created this system, knowing that it would lead to the deaths of children.
Protect our own. Finally, U.S. forces must also be ready to deal with the internal repercussions of engagements with child soldier forces, for this is an added way that their use puts professional forces at a disadvantage. Units may require special post-conflict treatment, akin to what many police organizations offer after shooting incidents. Otherwise, the consequence of being forced to kill children may ultimately undermine unit cohesion and combat effectiveness.



Conclusions

One of the potential costs of a war in Iraq may well be that U.S. military forces are forced to engage in combat with Baghdad's child soldiers. Saddam Husayn's deliberate recruitment of children into armed units may be a clear violation of the laws of war, but it is also a fact that U.S. policymakers cannot avoid. Children may not belong on the battlefield, but they may well be present in a war with Iraq. The only question is whether our troops will be prepared.

http://www.brookings.edu/views/op-ed/singer/20030114.htm

buckeye
11.03.2005, 19:57
kindersoldaten sind doch nichts neues ... siehe Afrika und Deutschland 1945 ....
Kinder koennen dich erschiessen wie ein erwachsener .... traurig aber willkommen in der realen welt von despoten

Igel
11.03.2005, 19:57
uebrigens soll Abu Ghureib bald ganz den irakers ueberlassen werden sobald sie genug eigenes personal stellen koennen. ;)

Igel
11.03.2005, 19:58
kindersoldaten sind doch nichts neues ... siehe Afrika und Deutschland 1945 ....
Kinder koennen dich erschiessen wie ein erwachsener .... traurig aber willkommen in der realen welt von despoten

natuerlich sind sie nix neues. das heisst es gibt doch noch welche die noch nie was davon gehoert. :)) :)) :)) :))

trib996
11.03.2005, 19:59
Werden sie dann auch ordentlich bezahlt ? :rolleyes:

Mondgoettin
12.03.2005, 07:57
natuerlich sind sie nix neues. das heisst es gibt doch noch welche die noch nie was davon gehoert. :)) :)) :)) :))Trotzalle:wer sich an Kinder vergreift,ist ein SCHWEIN.Basta.

Mondgoettin
12.03.2005, 07:58
Trotzallem.Sorry.

Touchdown
12.03.2005, 09:59
Trotzallem.Sorry.
Du kannst deine Beiträge auch editieren. ;)

Gothaur
12.03.2005, 12:17
Trotzalle:wer sich an Kinder vergreift,ist ein SCHWEIN.Basta.
Eine naive Meinung, weltfremd dazu!
Es gibt nun mal die Kinder, die mißbraucht werden, aber ob sich das Kiddie mißbraucht, oder überzeugt in die Luft sprengt, und dich mitnimmt, ist ja wohl egal, tot bist Du allemal. :rolleyes:
Wenn Du schon dagegen ankacken willst, dann mach es doch gegen unsere phantastische Rot-Grüne Regierung, die nach wie vor den massiven deutschen Vertrieb von weichen Waffen zulassen. Und diese Waffen gehen zum Beispiel bevorzugt nach Afrika und gelangen dort noch mehr bevorzugt in die Hände von Kindersoldaten.
Aber wichtiger ist es ja wohl gegen USA zu kacken, nicht wahr? ;(
Oder ist es das bequeme und weltfremde sich einlullen lassen, wenn man bequem auf dem Sofa in sicheren Gestaden hockt, und mittels IE und TV all die Ungerechtigkeiten der Welt miterlebt?
Gothaur

Igel
14.03.2005, 00:53
Eine naive Meinung, weltfremd dazu!
Es gibt nun mal die Kinder, die mißbraucht werden, aber ob sich das Kiddie mißbraucht, oder überzeugt in die Luft sprengt, und dich mitnimmt, ist ja wohl egal, tot bist Du allemal. :rolleyes:
Wenn Du schon dagegen ankacken willst, dann mach es doch gegen unsere phantastische Rot-Grüne Regierung, die nach wie vor den massiven deutschen Vertrieb von weichen Waffen zulassen. Und diese Waffen gehen zum Beispiel bevorzugt nach Afrika und gelangen dort noch mehr bevorzugt in die Hände von Kindersoldaten.
Aber wichtiger ist es ja wohl gegen USA zu kacken, nicht wahr? ;(
Oder ist es das bequeme und weltfremde sich einlullen lassen, wenn man bequem auf dem Sofa in sicheren Gestaden hockt, und mittels IE und TV all die Ungerechtigkeiten der Welt miterlebt?
Gothaur

dem braucht man nichts mehr hinzuzufuegen, also unterschreibe ich das nur ;)

Kat