Syria's little lion

[Angel Eyes]

An eleven-year-old boy is fighting alongside the Syrian rebels:

http://www.vice.com/read/the-little-lion--syrias-11-year-old-killing-machine?utm_source=vicefbus

Re the photo: I didn't know Tapco delivered to Syria.

[MechAg94]

I guess that means Syrian soldiers are killing children.

[Fitz]

All the more reason to stay the hell out of it

[HankB]

So the Syrian opposition is using child soldiers? Nice guys who are trying to replace the current despot . . .

I thought every "human rights" organization from the ACLU to the UN universally condemned this?

Or is there an exception to the outrage if the side using children to fight their war is Arab/Moslem?

[AZRedhawk44]

All the more reason to stay the hell out of it

Agreed.

So the Syrian opposition is using child soldiers? Nice guys who are trying to replace the current despot . . .

I thought every "human rights" organization from the ACLU to the UN universally condemned this?

Or is there an exception to the outrage if the side using children to fight their war is Arab/Moslem?

But I'm not going to condemn the syrians for it.  Sounds like the kid is a modern equivalent of a squire.  Not allowed to fight, more of a camp follower, but allowed to learn the trade of soldiering with the rebels.

We have our own 14 year olds from our own Revolutionary War.

http://boston1775.blogspot.com/2006/05/edward-barber-teenaged-casualty-of-war.html

Not quite the same, but a sufficiently exhaustive search could no doubt find some kid 10 to 15 years old to have actively pulled the trigger against redcoats on Battle Road. 

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

So the Syrian opposition is using child soldiers? Nice guys who are trying to replace the current despot . . .

I thought every "human rights" organization from the ACLU to the UN universally condemned this?

Or is there an exception to the outrage if the side using children to fight their war is Arab/Moslem?

Meh. There's always child soldiers in insurgencies - as well as geriatric soldiers, and female soldiers, maybe even a few transsexual soldiers. Insurgencies need everybody they can find.

[Balog]

It is interesting that he's using an AK modified in that manner. Not something I expected to see.

[Fly320s]

It is interesting that he's using an AK modified in that manner. Not something I expected to see.

He probably plays Call of Duty.

[freakazoid]

Over the top of his faded yellow jacket a Free Syrian Army vest holds three extra clips, each full with live ammunition

but their participation in armed hostilities places them in grave danger of being killed, permanently disabled, or severely traumatized.”

 

[roo_ster]

All the more reason to stay the hell out of it

Amen

“Neo-cons stink of necrosis and flee from the thought of peace like a Victorian spinster from a penis.”
----Taki Theodoracopulos

Neo-con properly defined as the forever-war party.  Too many people have learned nothing from history and the last 12 years of the present.

[kgbsquirrel]

Agreed.

But I'm not going to condemn the syrians for it.  Sounds like the kid is a modern equivalent of a squire.  Not allowed to fight, more of a camp follower, but allowed to learn the trade of soldiering with the rebels.

We have our own 14 year olds from our own Revolutionary War.

http://boston1775.blogspot.com/2006/05/edward-barber-teenaged-casualty-of-war.html

Not quite the same, but a sufficiently exhaustive search could no doubt find some kid 10 to 15 years old to have actively pulled the trigger against redcoats on Battle Road. 

This. Not going to say one way or another, but I am simply thankful that we've developed far enough that our youth no longer have need to participate as belligerents in war.

[stevelyn]

Those are some nice Americanized mods on that AK. I wonder where he got it? Eric Holder expanding his foreign customer base perhaps?

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Those are some nice Americanized mods on that AK. I wonder where he got it? Eric Holder expanding his foreign customer base perhaps?

Could be Israel. The foregrip looks like one Mako is selling.

[MikeB]

Granted these kids lied about their age, but ...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Graham - Enlisted in the US Navy at the age of 12, awarded Bronze Star, wounded at Guadalcanal.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacklyn_H._Lucas - Enlisted in the US Marines at the age of 14, awarded Medal of Honor, jumped on a Grenade at Iwo Jima.

[stevelyn]

Could be Israel. The foregrip looks like one Mako is selling.

Yeah, could be, but I'm having a hard time understanding why Israel would arm what amounts to the Muslim Bro'hood unless they have an end game in mind that no one can possibly anticipate.

[Zardozimo Oprah Bannedalas]

Yeah, could be, but I'm having a hard time understanding why Israel would arm what amounts to the Muslim Bro'hood unless they have an end game in mind that no one can possibly anticipate.

The parts look Israeli. Could be aftermarket gear purchased by a Syrian mall ninja, the AK may have local provenance. Could also be Chinese knockoffs/airsofter-grade gear.