PhotoWASHINGTON — State Department officials have accused Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson of violating federal law by excluding Myanmar, Iraq and Afghanistan from an annual list of countries that use or fund child soldiers, officials said Tuesday. Excluding the countries from the list makes it easier for the United States to provide military aid. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyThe Trafficking in Persons Report, which annually identifies foreign countries that recruit, fund and use child soldiers, has been used as a diplomatic tool to deter the practice. Unless the White House offers a waiver based on national interest, countries identified as offenders face restrictions on certain security assistance and commercial licensing of military equipment under the Child Soldiers Prevention Act. The report is a method to disgrace countries into discontinuing the use of child soldiers.

Source: New York Times November 21, 2017 18:13 UTC