Child Bombers - Afghan War's Latest Weapon

(CBS)  In Afghanistan, the innocent are learning the tactics of terror, reports CBS News Correspondent Mandy Clark.

Boys as young as 7 years old have to be held by an adult to withstand the recoil of an AK-47 as they are trained by the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Other children aren't trained but tricked into carrying bombs.

CBS News Special Report: The Road Ahead

"I lost my leg," 11-year-old Eidullah says, "I'm angry because we were not guilty of anything."

Eidullah was asked by the Taliban to deliver a fruit basket to a local commander who was cooperating with U.S. forces. Hidden in the basket was a bomb. However, the commander wasn't hurt because the bomb exploded prematurely -- maiming Eidullah and injuring his eight friends.

Some of their lives were saved by American surgeons at a nearby military hospital. Doctors say they are seeing more children involved in bombings.

"It shows the lengths that al Qaeda will go to and the indifference that they have to these pure kids," said Lt. Col. Benjamin Kam, an orthopedic surgeon.

The children recruited by the Taliban and al Qaeda are often willingly sent to the terror camps by their parents. The promise of free food, shelter and education for their sons is too difficult to turn down.

But the children who were tricked face a lifetime of painful procedures to treat their wounds.

Nine-year-old Mohammad had a nerve in his leg severed in the blast.

"Unfortunately he will lose function in this section of his leg. He'll eventually have to have it amputated," said Dr. Scott Russi, chief of surgery at Shamrock Combat Hospital.

Out of the nine children injured, two lost limbs, one lost sight. All of their lives will be forever altered.

Eleven-year-old Bachmaner was one of the lucky ones. He only suffered a broken leg. He wishes he could go back to his old life. "We all used to play soccer," he says, "now we can't walk without pain."

It's not childhood games that Eidullah is worried about now. His father is blind and as the oldest son, tradition demands that he take care of his family. Now, he doubts he can.

He, like hundreds of other children, are caught up in a war they had no expectation of fighting.

More special coverage on CBSNews.com:
Women's Rights in Afghanistan
Medevac Helicopter Crews Saving Lives in Afghanistan
Marines in Afghanistan: A Day in the Life
Taliban Gaining Firepower and Confidence
Battle of Wanat - Inside the Ambush
Afghanistan, 8 Years In: How We Got Here
Soldier's Last Letter from Afghanistan
"I was Just Starting to Live My Life"

[jefleshman]

From SOURCE: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/10/13/eveningnews/main5382693.shtml
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by USMC-Mom October 14, 2009 12:57 PM EDT
"They are NOT heroes"
What? Are you nuts.
You people who don't support our troops either have no heart or your on drugs.
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by finkfust October 15, 2009 8:19 AM EDT
You didn't answer me before, so I'll try a specific person this time - Is Lynndie England a hero?
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No, Fink, she is not based on what I read about the details of her trial and conviction. We hold our troops accountable for their actions. Can you say and defend the terrorist the same way?


Answer this me Fink one by one YES or NO, I have answered you.

Is CPT Ben Sklaver's a hero?

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1930683,00.html?xid=yahoo-featxid=yahoo-feat

Is SFC Jarard Monti a hero?

http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/09/17/medal-of-honor-ceremony-remarks/

Is SSG William "Billy" R. Neil a hero?

http://blog.nj.com/njwardead/2008/03/army_staff_sgt_william_r_neil.html

Read their stories Fink and get a better appreciation of those who serve others and not themselves.

These names are just 3 examples that represent the hundreds of thousands of service men and woman who represent America's most precious resource and believes in a better world!

[finkfust]

Therefore you agree with me that USMC-Mom is wrong, and not all US troops are heroes.

[jefleshman]

No fink I do not agree with you. What she was referring to was those who serve with dignity, honor and respect. But you know nothing about that because you do not have those qualities in you.

[finkfust]

by jefleshman October 16, 2009 5:15 AM EDT
Your point is valid in areas we cannot get to in Pakistan.
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..... so are you claiming that you can get to all areas in Afghanistan? Either you know nothing about the country you're in, or you're being deliberately evasive. Which is it?

[jefleshman]

Fink it we could get to all the areas in Afghanistan...we would not still be here for 9 years...

I am glad you brought this point up again becuase I did not read your comment before.

Do the people know that the surge of 21000 additional troops was not in areas we already had troops (They were not reinforcements)?

Take for instance in the Southern Afghanistan, with the USMC fighting down there. It is in areas we couldnt get to before! So of course there is going to be some friction and fighting! The Terrorist are not going to give up their safe haven and sanctuary!!!

Nice job Fink bringing that point up to share with others. Thank you

[finkfust]

by jefleshman October 17, 2009 6:12 AM EDT
Fink it we could get to all the areas in Afghanistan...we would not still be here for 9 years.
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You therefore admit that you are unable to render any assistance to the survivors of most of your own missile strikes.

So when you asked "A point I would like to make is when something "Bad" happens and civilians are injured or killed. No matter who is "At fault- so to speak" who provides the medical aid?", my answer was correct - IT'S NOT YOU AMERICANS.

Are you going to answer honestly this time, or just give more of your biased, hypocritical, simplistic rhetoric?

[krotek]

So, What has Allah taught you today little brother??

[bigoldic]

..... and would you fight to the death with a rock long before you would ever drop a bomb on a house containing kids?

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That bomb wouldnt have to drop on that house if the coward hiding behind those civilians would come out and fight like the brave muslim
he claims to be.

[finkfust]

So you think he's a coward for living in his home with his family, who are all totally unaware they are about to killed? Didn't the option of telling him to come out with his hands up occur to you? This is sometimes followed by a fair trial. I'd have thought you've seen stuff like that on the TV.

In America, do you usually kill a criminal and his entire family with a missile? I thought you had a justice system, but I guess I was wrong.

[jefleshman]

FACT: Afghanistan is getting better and stronger everyday

SEE FOR YOURSELF, ISAF latest assessment(it is pre election)includes all areas below:

Afghan National Security Forces Assessment 2009
Security Assessment 2009
Governance Assessment 2009
Reconstruction and Develepment Assessment 2009

I believe this will put the flame out now of the MEDIAs DOOM and GLOOM sensationalized reporting and prove progress is being made.

Please take the time to read.

http://www.nato.int/nato_static/assets/pdf/pdf_2009_03/20090331_090331_afghanistan_report_2009.pdf

[USMC-Mom]

It's sad that too many ignore facts.
It's sad that the media does ignore the whole story.

[jefleshman]

USMC-Mom,

Seriously read the document. Print it out and share with your friends who think we are not making any progress over here. I am so tired of hearing all the bad news.

Yes, we have our ups and we have our downs just like everyone else. But we are darn sure making a positive difference in the lives of so many every day!

[biger-e]

I would go out and fight to the death with a rock in hand long before I would ever strap a bomb on a kid no matter what the cause you morons.

[finkfust]

..... and would you fight to the death with a rock long before you would ever drop a bomb on a house containing kids?

[biger-e]

by October 15, 2009 8:03 PM EDT
Well stated! Most of the COWARDS posting their opinions in this blog don't have the courage to die for anything. You have to admire an enemy who will take such extraordinary steps to achieve victory

are you serious? you have to admire an enemy that straps bombs on it's 7 and 8 year old children. What kind of world are we living in.
yeah I know, the US is at fault for everything. blah, blah blah.
some of you people are just discusting. Hopefully just trolls looking for a rise out of people or just delusional.

[RedWings_ninety_one]

Using children is stupid but smart on Al Queda's part. Until now, we never would've suspected children to be a threat. Members of Al Queda are cowards for hiding behind children and not facing us themselves.

[dragon8me]

The children recruited by the Taliban and al Qaeda are often willingly sent to the terror camps by their parents. The promise of free food, shelter and education for their sons is too difficult to turn down.
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It was not the surge in Iraq that turned things around. It was listening to the comanders on the ground. They say that al Quada was paying poor people to work for them. So we sarted paying more. This is what we should have been doing in the first place. Poverty is the root of most crime. Most of these people are just trying to survive. We need to rebuild what we destroyed and help them create jobs, just like we need to do here. As long as there is poverty anywhere in the world there will be terrorism.

[jefleshman]

dragon8me,

Well stated!I agree about the Poverty is the root of most crimes!!!!! You are spot on!

You gave a solution that we are currently doing already.

Do you not know how much we (GIRoA and ISAF)are giving into the area of Developement? Economics? Governance?

I am curious. Because this is not a fast food answer. The starting point in 2001 there was not really a lot of any of these things before.

[finkfust]

jefleshman - Do you really think 2001 was the starting point? It wasn't for the Afghans, was it?

[dragon8me]

It just goes to show there's nothing a religious fanatic will do for their "faith". Karl Marx was right when he said "religion is the opiate of the people".

[inketolstoy]

You make the mistake in assuming that the religious part of religious fanatic causes the fanatic to do crazy things. It is the fanatic part that does. I know many people that are very religious that do many good things. I know of non religious fanatics that do horrible things. Faith is not responsible for this, fanaticism is. Look to Karl Marx's apostles Stalin and Mao to see the effect political fanatics can have.