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Of the ethicness of Killing Children and its dependence on context.

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RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#126: Jan 6th 2011 at 7:14:09 AM


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'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
Scrye Since: Jan, 2001
#127: Jan 6th 2011 at 8:20:37 AM


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"True story, I came when I read Scrye's story, and so did everyone within five miles." —OOZE
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#128: Jan 6th 2011 at 8:28:01 AM


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RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#129: Jan 6th 2011 at 8:33:29 AM


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'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
Scrye Since: Jan, 2001
#130: Jan 6th 2011 at 8:53:50 AM


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"True story, I came when I read Scrye's story, and so did everyone within five miles." —OOZE
RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#131: Jan 6th 2011 at 9:22:40 AM


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'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#132: Jan 6th 2011 at 9:26:46 AM


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Scrye Since: Jan, 2001
#133: Jan 6th 2011 at 9:35:57 AM


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"True story, I came when I read Scrye's story, and so did everyone within five miles." —OOZE
RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#134: Jan 6th 2011 at 9:56:07 AM


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'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
Scrye Since: Jan, 2001
#135: Jan 6th 2011 at 10:06:26 AM

{Offtopic comment deleted —Madrugada}

Child soldiers suck.

edited 6th Jan '11 10:38:47 AM by Madrugada

"True story, I came when I read Scrye's story, and so did everyone within five miles." —OOZE
RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#136: Jan 6th 2011 at 10:09:18 AM

Yeah, I guess they'd lack speed and strength... but they make up for it in stamina, being smaller targets, and being able to hide in more places, yes?

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#137: Jan 6th 2011 at 10:23:13 AM


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RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#138: Jan 6th 2011 at 10:39:54 AM

[up]Is there such a thing as solo infiltrators, Metal Gear Solid style? Would specially-trained teenagers be fitting for such a role?

Seriously, can teenagers actually be efficient soldiers, on par or better than adults, depending on the action?

Also, anyone played Darfur Is Dying? I got raped and killed more times than in any Rape Simulator!

edited 6th Jan '11 10:44:51 AM by RawPower

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
Madrugada Since: Jan, 2001
#139: Jan 6th 2011 at 10:40:16 AM

That last digression would have been perfectly ON-topic in The Military Thread. Take it there and it won't get thumped. Continue it here and I will continue to thump it until I get fed up and lock the thread.

edited 6th Jan '11 10:41:19 AM by Madrugada

pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#140: Jan 6th 2011 at 11:28:28 AM

Darfuris Dying was not supposed to be pleasant. Not sure if you can even win that game, given how horrbily lopsided the odds are, but I think that was the whole point.

From a purely pragmatic standpoint, using children as soldiers makes little sense to me. Their brains aren't finished developing, so they might be prone to errors of judgement more often than not. Since they're not fully physically matured, either, their ability to carry a load isn't as great, although they'll heal up well from injuries, faster than an adult would. And, as already mentioned, the psycological damage to their not-fully-formed minds is well... messed up. I know that partisan soldiers in WWII used them sometimes, and even Germany ended up grabbing teens for last-ditch defense. Desperate measures, I guess. Good hint that your side of the battle is NOT going well, is when you seriously start to consider handing guns and weapons to children, even if you're not intending to use them as suicide bombers. Examples in media I can think of is in Downfall and Lord of the Rings, during the Helms Deep thing.

So yeah, I guess it does depend on context. Still, life truly and verily doth sucketh if you're having to use children.

edited 6th Jan '11 11:29:09 AM by pvtnum11

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#141: Jan 6th 2011 at 8:34:12 PM

The singular advantage to using child soldiers is the emotional effect that it has on the enemy. We're naturally inclined to trust children not to be trying to shoot you in the face, so that instinctive trust makes them extremely dangerous.

RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#142: Jan 7th 2011 at 4:01:33 AM

Also, damaging that trust can be problematic when soldiers return to Real Life (metaphorically speaking): a veteran being jumpy and paranoid around adults is acceptable, but doing the same around children, especially if it leads to violent reactions, isn't, more so if they only react that way around children of some specific races.

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
saladofstones3 Since: Dec, 1969
#143: Jan 7th 2011 at 10:23:47 AM

Isn't part of the advantage as well is that if a child soldier survivors, the experience of fighting for ten or so years will give him some degree of an advantage?

pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#144: Jan 7th 2011 at 10:50:53 AM

Salad, yes.

But at what cost to their emotional development? I guess I fall into the 'shield them from the horros of our reality until they're ready for it' camp - but I'm probably biased now, as I'm a parent. There's crap I don't want my child to know about yet, as she can barely manage to dress herself properly.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#145: Jan 7th 2011 at 12:41:04 PM

You think they'd be overwhelmed by TMI, especially of the gory cynical sort? You mean soldiers always start as idealists and become pragmatic empty shells as they advance? Doesn't the opposite happen? That a soldier starts as a selfish sociopathic asshole and grows into a an of pride and honour?

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#146: Jan 7th 2011 at 12:47:28 PM

It could go either way, honestly. You coule end up rising up to the challenge and horrors of war and distinguishing yourself, or you could become a total dirtbag and commit atrocities. It's hard to say what you'll do until you get there. I'm untested in combat, so I have no idea how I'd turn out. I'd like to think I'd do well, but i just don't know. Part of me is thankful I did time without having to discharge my weapon in combat.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
thatguythere47 Since: Jul, 2010
#147: Jan 7th 2011 at 1:18:54 PM

Kids don't know better though. If you grew up from the age of five stoned and shooting people you don't have a good frame of reference for why that is horrible, it's just how life is for them.

Is using "Julian Assange is a Hillary butt plug" an acceptable signature quote?
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#148: Jan 7th 2011 at 1:24:47 PM

Yeah, there's that. Enough of that going on, and you get a whole culture that has a cheap outlook on life.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
saladofstones3 Since: Dec, 1969
#149: Jan 7th 2011 at 1:26:03 PM

Except these cultures are essentially still tribal but with guns instead of spears. And rap music apparantely.

RawPower Jesus as in Revelations from Barcelona Since: Aug, 2009
Jesus as in Revelations
#150: Jan 7th 2011 at 2:14:59 PM

You mean Rap Music instead of Classic Poetry (which worked pretty much the exact same way, except nowadays government officials and corporations don't pay rappers to sing about how awesome they are, and rappers don't turn those songs into "The Villain Sucks" Song if you neglect to pay them properly: also, classic poetry was designed to be viral, especially the satiric sort: people would start repeating it over and over again).

edited 7th Jan '11 2:15:45 PM by RawPower

'''YOU SEE THIS DOG I'M PETTING? THAT WAS COURAGE WOLF.Cute, isn't he?

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