11-20-2010, 05:15 AM
I'm curious Shadow, what do you want to see happen in this case? You obviously feel he is guilty of his crimes, correct? Assuming this is the case, then based on what I've read thus far, you think he should face punishment, however as a child solider, correct? So my question is, what is the difference between tried as a "child solider" vs an adult solider? Are there any distinctions?
Secondly, I'd like to comment about his nationality: it makes little difference what his nationality is or was; the point is he used weapons in an attempt to kill (this is not to be taken lightly) against the army which captured him. I read nothing into that which gives Canadian soldiers some kind of magical treatment over other opposing soldiers. Point is (pretty straightforward) he is an captured enemy combatant. His Canadian badge doesn't mean a thing in regards to [where] he was when he was captured, and [what] he was doing when he was captured.
Now I see what you've been saying, and I have to agree that it's an unfortunate situation, one this kid probably couldn't have gotten out of. He may have been born in Canada, but was raised ultimately as a solider and a fighter. His choice? Or all just part of "growing up"? Who's to say, and the morality of it will be argued for some time I presume, yet I cannot forget, even when acknowledging his possibly unavoidable past, that innocents die all the time, and rather this child was mentally innocent or not is irrelevant because the fact of the matter is he is a killer, and an enemy combatant. To me, it doesn't get much clearer than that. Should he be charged "as a child"? Sure, why not - if there are indeed rules for that sort of thing. But he must face judgment, mark my words!
Secondly, I'd like to comment about his nationality: it makes little difference what his nationality is or was; the point is he used weapons in an attempt to kill (this is not to be taken lightly) against the army which captured him. I read nothing into that which gives Canadian soldiers some kind of magical treatment over other opposing soldiers. Point is (pretty straightforward) he is an captured enemy combatant. His Canadian badge doesn't mean a thing in regards to [where] he was when he was captured, and [what] he was doing when he was captured.
Now I see what you've been saying, and I have to agree that it's an unfortunate situation, one this kid probably couldn't have gotten out of. He may have been born in Canada, but was raised ultimately as a solider and a fighter. His choice? Or all just part of "growing up"? Who's to say, and the morality of it will be argued for some time I presume, yet I cannot forget, even when acknowledging his possibly unavoidable past, that innocents die all the time, and rather this child was mentally innocent or not is irrelevant because the fact of the matter is he is a killer, and an enemy combatant. To me, it doesn't get much clearer than that. Should he be charged "as a child"? Sure, why not - if there are indeed rules for that sort of thing. But he must face judgment, mark my words!
"The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained liberation from the self." -Albert Einsetin