Argumentative Essay: What Is A Child Soldier?

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What is A Child Soldier?
A child soldier is anyone under the age of 18 who is part of a state or rebel armed group as a fighter or for any other purpose. Some child soldiers volunteered as they thought the group would provide money or security, but many were forcibly recruited. Child soldiers are frequently used in regions of the middle-east and Africa, and are used by both government groups and rebel groups. The article “Armed and Underage” gives the statistic, “80 percent of rebel troops and 20 percent of government troops are children.”. The main argument about rescued child soldiers is whether or not they should be prosecuted or given amnesty.

Child Soldiers Should Be Given Amnesty
As long as rehabilitation is involved in the process, …show more content…
This is why some people think that they should be prosecuted. While this is true, people who make this point fail to take into account the poverty level of these youth. The article “Armed and Underage” describes the situation of youth in Somalia, “Children do not have many options...an entire generation was let loose on the streets”. Kids who live on the streets or struggle to find their next meal would gladly join a group that promised them food, shelter and money. They are desperate. After killing for so long and at such a young age, these kids become mentally damaged. This is why some kids may not seem sorry for what they’ve done. Killing is all that they know. After years of being told “kill or be killed” killing has become part of their survival. Because of all the trauma that child soldiers have been through, they need to be rehabilitated, not prosecuted.
Child soldiers should be given amnesty because it gives them a chance to rehabilitate. There are an extensive number of tests that can be done to show the mental state of these individuals. Test results can show doctors and psychologists how to properly rehabilitate these youth. After being rehabilitated, these kids can be adjusted back into
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