President Obama has stated that we wouldn't have any troops fighting in Syria and Iraq, but one brave Wisconsinite has joined the Syrian Kurdish People's Militia(YPG) in their fight to protect the encircled city of Kobane from being overrun by ISIS:
A US citizen from Wisconsin has joined the YPG ranks, which already includes many people from different ethnic groups in Syria and the Middle East in general.
Matson says he had informed himself about the struggle of the YPG against the ISIS gangs through the internet in recent times, although he already had information about the Kurdish people. Matson says he decided to join the YPG as he preferred to do something rather than nothing.
http://en.firatnews.com/...
The Syrian Kurdish YPG, which Matson joined, is an inclusive, secular, mostly leftist, grassroots democratic People's Militia that has likely done more fighting against ISIS than any other group in both Syria and Iraq. One thing that truly sets them apart from other forces in Iraq and Syria is that up to 40% of their fighters are female and are considered very disciplined and effective. Furthermore, while Kurds make up the bulk of their fighters, Assyrian Christians, Sunni Arabs, and other minorities fight amongst them and in alliance with them. They have received virtually no support from the outside world because Turkey, with its large minority Kurd population views them as a threat due to their ties with the leftist Kurdish PKK and Iraq's Kurdish Regional Govt., until recently, viewed them as a rival. Turkey has locked down its border to regions of Syria under control by the YPG while it has often allowed seemingly free passage to Islamic fundamentalist fighters and weapons, including ISIS.
When the world was horrified and outraged by the plight of the Yazidi trapped by ISIS on Sinjar Mountain in Iraq, the YPG played a major role in rescuing them. Now, as ISIS pulls back from painful airstrikes in Iraq and is concentrating its forces against the Kurds in Syria, the YPG are virtually the only thing standing between the people of Kobane, many of whom have fled there from other regions of Syria, and a mass slaughter at the hands of ISIS.
The plight of the Kurds and the gritty, stubborn resistance of the YPG to ISIS seem to have inspired Matson to literally put his head on the line. And it seems that he may not be the only American inspired to do so, as a recent Facebook post of his indicates:
For all who didn’t know I’m in Syria fighting for the YPG against ISIS. I am ok, won’t be able to get on the net very often. I was hit by a mortar a few days ago during a 6 hour firefight but I’m fine. Delivered an ISIS bastard to hell. Please keep me and the other americans and kurdish fighters in your prayers. I appreciate it. I’ll try and have some photos to upload when I get a chance.
Rock steady.
Rock steady, Jordan Matson. Be safe. Thank you for putting your life on the line to prevent genocide by ISIS.
3:06 PM PT: For some really good insight into the plight of the Syrian Kurds and the situation in Rojava(Syrian Kurdistan), here's a quality Vice News reportage: