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JJ_BPK
10-29-2010, 05:41
I'm having a problem understanding why this is good??



http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/10/29/waiving-penalties-use-child-soldiers/?test=latestnews

U.S. Waiving Penalties for Use of Child Soldiers

In a move criticized by human rights organizations, the Obama administration has decided to exempt Yemen and three other countries that use child soldiers from U.S. penalties under the 2008 Child Soldiers Prevention Act.

In a memorandum to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, President Barack Obama said he had determined that "it is in the national interest of the United States" to waive application of the law to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan and Yemen. He instructed Clinton to submit the decision to the Congress with a written justification for the move.

Obama's memo, released by the White House on Monday, did not include the justification. Administration officials have said, however, that cutting off military aid to those four countries as required by the law would do more harm than good. And they have said that continuing close cooperation with them can be a more effective way of changing their practices.

Jo Becker, children's
rights director at Human Rights Watch, said Obama had supported the legislation when he was in the Senate.

"This is a groundbreaking law," she said. "This is the first year it has taken effect and he's undercutting it."

continued.....


:munchin

DisplacedTrojan
10-29-2010, 10:04
He wants to continue providing aid to Chad, DRC, Sudan and Yemen. I'm interested to why the other countries in the area that have government supported forces using child Soldiers did not receive the same exemptions.

He has until 15JUN of next year to provide the full justification. The Presidential Determination mentions an accompanying Memorandum of Justification but I can't find it. The Federal Register doesn't show it yet.

Presidential Determination 2011-4
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/10/25/presidential-memorandum-child-soldiers-prevention-act
"waive the application to Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Yemen of the prohibition in section 404(a)"

Public Law 110-457 - H.R.7311 (S.3061) - William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ457.110.pdf

404(a) prohibits aid and arms.
404(c) is the reporting requirements to congress.