OP-Ed Impact of Military Arsenal on Children

March 1, 2009

How does war impact young minds?

Can the military industrial complex justify their profits at the expense of these innocent lives?

A teenager’s viewpoint regarding an article by New York Times and concerns about the real victims of war – Children, the future of the world.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/world/asia/18afghan.html

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/02/17/world/20090217AFGHAN_9.html

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By: Kanish Arhant-Sudhir

The article that goes along with this picture talks about how the death toll in Afghanistan has risen by over forty percent in 2008. One specific example reported on a man named Syed Mohammed, who’s entire family was slaughtered by American and Afghan soldiers. He went next door to his son’s house, only to find that the only survivor in his entire son’s family was his four year-old grandson, Zarqawi. In another case, an American AC-130 gunship, which is a plane armed with several deadly explosive rounds as well as a gatling cannon, attacked a suspected Taliban building, killing more than 90 people.

Marai, age 7, was blinded
in one eye from shrapnel during fighting between the Taliban and NATO troops.

Afghan Casualties

Mohammed Amin Kadimi, age 47, was pushing a wheelbarrow through a city street, looking for work.
A young man approached him carrying a paper bag weighing about ten pounds. He asked him to carry the bag to Pul-e-Khesti, a nearby neighborhood. After some time walking, Mr. Kadimi noticed that the young man was no longer behind him. The bag then exploded, blasting Mr. Kadimi away, mangling his right leg and severing his left one. He now sits on a city street, selling phone cards. He wonders why he was chosen as a target.

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Youssif's images
Iraqi Casualty
Youssif, age 5, before explosion (left), and after explosion (right)
Youssif's scarred-images Youssif’s skin was so deformed that hypodermic balloons had to be inserted in his skin to stretch it, allowing operations to be possible. He underwent 37 surgeries in one month.

When I assess these so-called carnage reports, I am absolutely disgusted. It is appalling that human kind would resort to such violence against one another, and for no valid cause at all. Exemplified in the cases of Marai and Youssif, the boy who’s face was grotesquely deformed by shrapnel from a fragmentation grenade; even children on the cusp of life are subject to such tortures as these. The brutality towards these innocent civilians is inexplicably revolting and inexcusable. No ‘political’ motive should be so great as to put the lives of innocent people at risk.

It’s time for mankind to reassess the pros and cons of war and peace for the sake of children around the world.

There is no compensation for loss of life especially children who are wiped out of this earth before they get to know it.

Thank you.

Kanish Arhant-Sudhir

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