Child Soldiers: Central to the following argument is the following equation: A 12 year old Liberian is more mature than an 18 year old American. In terms of self sufficiency, political sophistication, and emotional maturity the child soldiers of the third world are less children than adults. The 18 year olds volunteering for our armed services are more children than adults. If child soldiers are a bad idea let's clean our own house first. Our troops could easily comprise adults in middle age with no loss in effectiveness and with concrete advantages to the armed services and our nation. I refuse to submit my children to the fray until I'm dead and gone in the service of my nation and freedom. A test of the merits of armed conflict should include the willingness of those who support that conflict to risk their personal safety in its prosecution. After the 50 somethings then sacrifice the 40 somethings and so on down. Let elders lead by example. And let children work to prevent armed conflict and the loss of their parents assisted by adults who know the difference between imperial adventure and just war.