Children of the Taliban

1.) Why do children join the Taliban?
Children join the Taliban for a few major reasons. One of these is the influence of madrassas in the region. State schools have largely failed, partially due to lack of government funding, but also due to the bombings conducted by the Taliban on such schools. The Taliban provides Madrassas as an alternative. In a Madrassa, a child can receive free food and lodging. This is a very attractive idea to a region where most of the people live under the poverty line. However, the purpose of these madrassas is to train a new generation of Taliban militants. Students are instructed to memorize the koran and they are taught justification for suicide attacks. Also, the air raids done on villages by the Pakistani army, as well as the U.S. military has angered people in the region. The Taliban capitalizes on this anger by using this resentment as tool for recruitment, especially in young males. Additionally, many people are simply intimidated by the violent acts that the Taliban is capable of committing against them. This is why many believe the answer is to join them in order to preemptly prevent such a thing from happening to them.

2.) How has the war in Pakistan impacted children?
The violence in Pakistan has forced thousands from their homes and villages. Many people are living in camps for displaced personswithin the Pakistani border. The Taliban truly has created a culture of fear. No one dares defy the strict religious edicts that they've issued. These laws follow a strict version of Islamic Shari'a law. No girl is allowed to attend school. Women out in public must be covered. Children are faced with the harsh realities of a burgeoning civil war.

3.) Has the military offensive by Pakistani army/US military drones been effective?
In truth, the strategy hasn't worked out as effectively as was hoped. The drones are fairly easily shot down by Taliban fire, and those that successfully destroy their targets merely help to fuel the anger and opposition towards the United States military. We saw in the video that boy whose house was destroyed in an air strike, and how he believed that his path to vindication was through joining the Taliban. It was also said that these attacks merely strengthen the resolve of the Taliban.

4.) How and why does the Taliban continue to grow?
The Taliban has benefitted from the weakness of the government, the unrest of the people, and the religious fervor that is easily propagated in that predominantly Islamic area. Attacks done by the Pakistani army and the US military, which are attempts to stop the Taliban, have managed to harm villages and civilians. The Taliban preys on their anger, fear, and confusion. They indoctrinate children, and provide a semblance of law and order in a region where chaos reigns supreme. They have set their sights on the lofty goal of overthrowing the government of Pakistan, as it has adopted western-leanings. This overarching sense of fanaticism has spread through propaganda, and through policies of fear and intimidation.