Depending on what is in CIA records or NSA intercepts, if I’m remembering the law correctly this could potentially pose serious problems for these guys. Back when I was doing war zone work, I learned something interesting about Americans fighting in non-US militaries...
Namely, you can *do* it, but you gotta watch the Ps and Qs.
Like, say you’re a dual citizen somewhere with a military service obligation. Or you long for adventure in the French Foreign Legion.
You can, as an American, serve in a foreign military doing military stuff!
Like, say you’re a dual citizen somewhere with a military service obligation. Or you long for adventure in the French Foreign Legion.
You can, as an American, serve in a foreign military doing military stuff!
The catch: it has to be a *nation-state’s* military.
Because it is not exactly illegal to serve in a foreign militia, but if it’s not the actual gummint army, there are suddenly a lot more technicalities.
Involving the use of explosives.
Because it is not exactly illegal to serve in a foreign militia, but if it’s not the actual gummint army, there are suddenly a lot more technicalities.
Involving the use of explosives.
As I recall — and I’m petty sure I have this right, because I was in theater when I found it and it struck me — at some point after 9/11 the US government reclassified even small amounts of explosives as being technically “weapons of mass destruction.” Set off a bomb? WMD charge.
This was, of course, targeting terrorists. So there was an exemption for military service.
In, you know, a *country’s actual army.*
In which capacity a foreign militia does not exactly qualify.
In, you know, a *country’s actual army.*
In which capacity a foreign militia does not exactly qualify.
tl;dr: if I’m remembering the law right, and I think I am, and there’s not a change I haven’t heard about, if there is documented evidence of any of these guys having used hand grenades or RPGs during their stint in leftist militias overseas, they could be in a world of shit.
