Florida man recruiting veterans to fight ISIS

2015-03-04T10:23:11-05:00

From: Army Times

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WTLV) - A U.S. veteran is putting out a call to other veterans to come together to fight the Islamic State on their turf.

"There has been strong support and numerous veterans who are interested in going."

According to Gannett affiliate, WTLV, eight-year military veteran Sean Rowe launched the website, Veterans against ISIS. He's recruiting veterans to fight the terror group in places like Iraq, and he's asking for four years of military experience.

"So, I will be talking with them and screening them. I want to keep it small and simple," said Rowe.

From kidnappings to beheadings, the violence unleashed by ISIL continues, and Rowe says he's had enough.

"I'm not scared of these guys. They can come for me if they want but I am going to take the fight to them," said Rowe.

There are no federal laws prohibiting people from flying to other countries and acting as mercenaries, but former FBI special Agent Ron Wirth says there are other laws to keep in mind.

"If you are training with automatic weapons or weapons or explosives or rocket launches you may exposing yourself to criminal prosecution," said Wirth.

Wirth also says he's not guaranteed medical treatment if he's injured, and he's not protected under the Geneva Convention.

"It's going to be dangerous but that's a risk that anyone who signs up for this is going to be taking," said Wirth.

When Rowe was asked if he had a strategy or where he even plans to go, he said, "We just need to be in an area...just to leave it to us. Don't worry about it."

He's also not concerned about being a terror target.

"Do they care about Jacksonville? I don't think they care about Jacksonville. They are going to come for me," said Rowe.

But Wirth says warfare should be left up to the acting professionals.

"The fighting of the war should be left to the acting military who are trained and know the latest consequences of what's going on. If you want to volunteer for something, volunteer to help the veterans who have come back…people who need your help here at home."

Meanwhile in the fight against ISIS, Iraq troops launched a large-scale military operation on Monday to re-capture Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown.

Iraq's Prime Minister said, "the goal is to liberate people from the oppression and terrorism."

http://www.thv11.com/story/news/2015/03/02/florida-man-recruiting-veterans-to-fight-isis/24286845/

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Mar 4 at 2015 10:42 AM

2015-03-04T10:42:00-05:00

The US has a history of citizens volunteering to fight in causes they believe in, from the Flying Tigers and the volunteer Battalions in the Spanish Civil War all the way back to old history when it was just less recorded.

Lots of precedent for it.

The biggest issue for me was the FBI bit "training with automatic weapons or rocket launches (sic)" but that's a subject for another thread.

Response by CW2 Eric Scott made Mar 4 at 2015 10:47 AM

2015-03-04T10:47:06-05:00

Want to know what to do instead of letting this or any other similar story get their panties in a bunch? When you read this stuff about so and so doing this or that for bad guys, instead of having an instant reaction to create a blog, hop on facebook, blame Obama, or anything else that involves the TV, a computer or your phone, you should get a few of your buddies and handle it.

Can you imagine General George Washington or Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben texting each other about how they're going to post something so bad about the British.

Do something, or don't worry about it.