Omar Khdar, twenty four, pleaded guilty to charges including the murder of a US soldier during a raid on an al-Qaida compound in Afghanistan in 2002. Khdar was only 15 at the time of his imprisonment. He was being held at Guantanamo Bay. Some say Khdar should not be put on trial because he was only 15 at the time and was subject to harsh treatment in custody. Khdar's father apparently sent him and his brother to training camps to become a child soldier. Opponents say that he didn't have a choice. They also say that killing a soldier in a firefight does not amount to war crimes. He is also the only person charged with killing a US soldier in Afghanistan.
I can see both sides of Khdar's story. He was put in a bad position by his father, however his father didn't make him pull the trigger or throw the grenade that killed the US soldier. He knew what he was doing and that it was wrong. He was 15, not 5, so he knew very well what the consequences of his actions would be. As far as the allegations regarding his treatment at Guantanamo go, all of his statements and confessions were received prior to him being there. They were not forced out through torture or other harsh means. They are legitimate statements and should be considered by the courts in my opinion. He should not be treated any different that any other murder suspect. He should receive the same punishments, no more severe, no more lenient.
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