How would you control the terrorist crisis in America right now?
| Why should young people have to clean up the mess that today’s adults create, when they don’t even have a say in the matter? |
The first thing I'd do is comfort those directly affected. As leader of a country, citizens look to you for guidance. Attacking Afghanistan is not a good option. You can't blame a whole country for the actions of a few. You need to find the perpetrators and deal with them accordingly.
A life sentence in a country you tried to destroy seems like justice to me. Leaders need to think not just about the now but also about the future. Countries need to talk out their differences, not jump in and destroy each other.
Thomas Kielty, 16, Belfast
I think troops should go into Afghanistan to search for whoever was responsible for the attacks on America. But this must only happen without killing the ordinary citizens of that country.
The attack must be swift, and then troops should leave Afghanistan as quickly as they can. Ideally those responsible for the atrocities should be brought to America for trial. But I wouldn't like them to receive the death penalty. I don't believe in an eye for an eye.
Jenny Roe-Stanton, 16, London
The first step I would take concerning the crisis is to ask the public. I think that young people should be consulted on any political decision that directly affects them. Today's world leaders and governments sometimes seem to forget that there are generations to follow.
By making decisions that could potentially incite massive wars, and that could irreparably damage the earth, they are jeopardising the home that future generations will someday inherit. Why should young people have to clean up the mess that today's adults create, when they don't even have a say in the matter?
Colin Moore, 18, Belfast
As Roosevelt said; "the best way to destroy your enemies is to make them your friends", and, although this is often considered a simplistic view, I could not agree more. By waging war on Afghanistan, America would not be waging war on terrorism. Terrorism exists in every country, including ours. Doesn't the thought of waging war on Britain seem laughable?
Nor would I attempt targeted assignations. For these tactics are no more admirable than the terrorists and would create martyrs. I would endeavour to resolve the crisis with diplomacy. Avoiding war - nuclear, biological, aerial or conventional would be paramount. Military targets would be a last resort and even if I was to resort to this, I would feel I had failed.
Alisha Fuller, 15, London
About the team
The Answer the question panel are members of Children's Express. This article was published as part of Teen Talk, the Children's Express page in New Nation.
