Okay...I'll be the a**hole....
First off I do not think that "Innocent" people of any age should be imprisoned, once their innocence is determined. I also don't think any prisoners should be "abused" although the definition of abuse is still up for interpretation.
With that said here is my opinion, and my opinion only....
The former Iraqi governments have not empowered their citizens with the same constitutional rights that are available here in the US, in fact, that is part of the reason we are there...to bring a more democratic system with more protections to their country.
There is also a war going on and in the interest of the overall safety of both the civilians and the sodiers fighting there is a certain amount of sacrifice...whether it is a curfew, martial law and temporarily detaining people to identify them and their loyalties.
All anyone needs to do is turn on the news to see children, young children, used by their government to fight for any number of causes. Kids carrying machine guns or brainwashed to be suicide bombers are far too common. Now I don't like the idea of "innocent" kids being locked up but age alone does not automatically make someone innocent these days. There is also the consideration of separating them, for a brief time, from the influences of those who would attempt to twist their impressonable minds and use them as martyrs or force them into military service in what was historically called the "C corps".
I don't blindly support my country right or wrong as was mentioned previously but I am also realistic that in a time of war things are not simple or clearly black or white. There will be troops that exceed or abuse their authority and there will also be those who will go to extremes to eliminate or demoralize our troops.
Now I tried to be as diplomatic and non-confrontational as possible (no small task for a jerk like me LOL) and I understand that not everyone will agree with me and honestly, I respect that and only ask the same courtesy in return.
