Tools of War, Tools of State

• In Event: Born to Kill? The Research Handbook on Children and Armed Conflict

Abstract

Despite the supposed taboo against the practice, many governments, rebels, and terrorist groups use children in war to spy and kill. Tynes demonstrates that the modern use of children in war is a tactical innovation. Child soldiers on the battlefield bolster troop size, create moral dilemmas, and deepen the level of fear. Using statistical methods to analyze conflicts from 1987 to 2007, Tynes shows how widespread child soldier use is and confirms the theory that it is tactically advantageous. Through historical analysis, he explains how child soldiering developed out of Mao’s protracted war theory and the militarization of youth during the twentieth century. A case study of the civil war in Sierra Leone, which details the brutality involved when children are forced to fight, is included.

Author

• Robert Tynes, Bard Prison Initiative