Obama supports the use of child soldiers in Africa and Yemen.

Here is your hope and change. Impressive huh? I read this earlier and I find the whole issue reprehensible. This should be added to our list of civil rights violations that Obama likes to share with the world.

While I agree with your general sentiment - that it's horrible that we can be funding states in which this takes place - I can understand the administration's reasoning. It could prove self-defeating if we cut funds for countries that are meant to provide us with help when it comes to "counterterrorism." The NY Times article you provided explains this pretty well: [i]According to White House officials and memos, ending aid to Yemen would have undercut that country’s intense struggle against Al Qaeda. Despite Yemeni government assurances, the national army is still suspected of enlisting children as young as 15, and regional militias of enlisting children 14 and older. Sudan faces the possible secession of its southern region after a January referendum, and support from the United States may prove critical to stability in the south. Leaders of the breakaway southern region agreed last year to a plan to end the use of child soldiers in their forces, called the Sudan People’s Liberation Army, but as of last December, 1,200 children ages 12 to 17 remained in the army. The Congo was exempted because United States-backed programs were helping its military become more professional and fight rights abuses. And continued assistance to Chad, where a branch of Al Qaeda is active, was also said to be a reward for hosting an estimated 280,000 refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan.[/i] Of course, I definitely agree that it's rather unfortunate that the administration could not stand by the act. Hopefully, they actually stand by their promises for the future: [i]And now, they said, the four countries are effectively being given a year to change their ways. “We put these four countries on notice by naming them as having child soldiers, and thereby making them automatically subject to sanctions, absent the exercise of a presidential waiver,” said Tommy Vietor, a White House spokesman. “Our intention is to work with them over the next year to try to solve this problem — or at least make significant progress on it — and reassess our posture towards them next year, depending on the progress they have made.”[/i] But I know the most cynical amongst you will say that it's probably just rhetoric to calm the masses.

It is kind of hard to imagine what 'national interests' of the US are best protected by allowing child soldiers. Our government is being absurd if they think the use of that little phrase will make people support this decision. And about dumping money into all these other countries, we are way past the point when that fad needs to be cut back and controlled. We do not owe these countries, and we know these countries openly bash the US every chance they get. Time to quit worshiping at the alter of multicultural diversity and get real about the world we live in. Then we should talk about rights. Many have determined that because a woman's body is her own, she can take the life of a baby. What rights do these child soldiers have? What can they do to protect their body? With obama, there is always a hidden, dark agenda. Maybe he is leaving the door open for an obama youth program in the U.S. One thing is for sure, obama is more like Chavez every day.

Wow. I don't understand his logic. Pull the money. We should not be dumping money into foreign countries anyway...much less one that uses kids as "cannon fodder".

hello friend. how do you know it ? this is a great news to me . and i know nothing for this. ? why obama do this in other country ? why? does he want to find the palce for world war three in the world . so worry about this . so the war is good to amercia. but i dont think so . war is unneccessary in the world now .thank you for your news here.

obama is very nicely?i think not.

I've long felt that many in the world are waiting for the dictators to get their ethnic cleansing, etc's done, thinking then they can work out a world peace with them. Which of course if true is illogical on so many levels!!

This is really shame for all of us that a strongest man in the world is supporting such a widked, silly and unhuman act. If this is true then we should be ashamed of it and should protest it on all forums... Be happy and be the cause of happiness to others...