An American man who joined the fight against ISIS said he couldn’t bear to watch from the sidelines as militants seized control of Syria and Iraq, echoing a sentiment shared by more U.S. citizens gearing up for attack.

Jordan Matson, 28, told USA Today he “couldn’t just sit and watch Christians being slaughtered anymore” when he joined Kurdish forces about three weeks ago to help take down the Islamic State terrorists.

“I got sick of giving online sympathy,” the Racine, Wisc., native continued. “Five minutes of lip service does nothing. These people are fighting for their homes, for everything they have.”

Matson spoke from a hospital in northeastern Syria, where he was being treated for a shrapnel wound in his foot. The injury resulted from a mortar attack by Islamic State fighters along the Iraqi border.

Matson is one of a growing number of Americans who feel a moral responsbility to tackle the terrorists behind the beheadings of two American journalists, a former American soldier and two British aid workers.

An Ohio man, who was not officially identified, said he is fighting alongside Kurds and “a few Americans” on a video obtained by NBC News.

“While most people in America are against the Islamic State, there are a few Americans that wanted to come here and help the YPG in any way we can,” the man says in the video, referring to the Kurdish militia that is fighting ISIS.

“Everything has been fine,” he says, adding that his hosts have been welcoming.

“They’re very nice, very accommodating, hospitable,” he says. “Very good people.”

Matson, a former private first class infantryman with the U.S. Army, was critical of his country for launching airstrikes too late — after ISIS had already established its reign of terror on Syrian locals and beheaded the first journalist, James Foley, in August.

“It wasn’t until an American was beheaded did we do anything,” he said. “We just let the monster grow and grow.”

Matson, wearing a military uniform with a traditional black and white Kurdish scarf across his shoulders, added that the government was more concerned with its image than a human toll.

“For the U.S. government, it’s not about human life,” he said. “It’s about how they look in the opinion polls.”

Matson described his move to Syria after contacting the YPG through Facebook.

“They asked me a few questions to make sure I wasn’t pro-ISIS and then they told me I could come,” he said. “I just flew by the seat of my pants.”

He flew from Chicago to Warsaw to Istanbul, and then drove to Turkey, where he was picked up by a Kurdish militia man who drove him into Iraq. He pretended to be a doctor to cross the border into Syria.

They don’t pay me, but they treat me like family,” he said of his hosts. “If I need anything, they look after me.”

But he admitted the dangers were glaring.

Most of the Kurdish forces are young, and operate with no heavy body armor or serious weapons.

“Sometimes it’s just kids,” he said. “That’s the way it is. I have a Kalashnikov (automatic rifle). That’s about it.

“In the dark, with no night vision goggles, we can’t see ISIS,” he continued. “The other night, 12 black figures walked towards our base and just started shooting at us.”

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki declined to discuss Matson for privacy reasons, but added she was unaware of any law banning U.S. citizens from engaging in combat against the terrorists.

Matson said he plans to continue fighting for three years, even after his foot injury.

“Once I can put a boot back on, I’m back there,” he said.

this nigga wearin woodland shit in the desert

Quote from: Trojanlord on October 11, 2014, 03:14:26 AM

Quote from: RustingFloor on October 10, 2014, 11:01:52 PM

this nigga wearin woodland shit in the desert

The areas the Iraqi Kurds control are generally quite lush for the region.

No it isn't, it's just desert.

Quote from: Kinder Skellington on October 11, 2014, 07:23:17 AM

Quote from: Gatsby on October 11, 2014, 04:41:26 AM

Quote from: Trojanlord on October 11, 2014, 03:14:26 AM

Quote from: RustingFloor on October 10, 2014, 11:01:52 PM

this nigga wearin woodland shit in the desert

The areas the Iraqi Kurds control are generally quite lush for the region.

No it isn't, it's just desert.

I can't tell if serious......

The constant sandstorms make the cities sandy as frack. They have parks in and around cities but other than that it's just barren desert landscapes.