i dont' know what to think

by **Danny Hogan** on Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:10 pm

[url]hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/J/JOURNEY_TO_IRAQ?SITE=FLROC&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">goes%20to%20Iraq[/url]

16 yr old makes it to baghdad?

huh?

**Sponsor**

by **Brent Burns** on Fri Dec 30, 2005 12:54 pm

It would be easy for me to say that he made an unwise decision to fly out to Iraq alone, but I would also say that he made a daring move to go there without consulting his parents. Simply, he should have thought it out carefully and discuss with everyone involved. We all do have free will.

by **KnoxVegas** on Fri Dec 30, 2005 5:33 pm

Danny, this is one of your own! The state education pays off.

I look at this two ways:
1. One heck of an end of the year mileage run. 15,000+ miles.

2. Truly a wonderful educational experience. Just proves how easy it is for people from all over the world to make it to the heart of Baghdad. What I really think is hilarious is that the kid speaks no Arabic and was seen using an Arabic phrase book to order food at a kiosk in downtown Baghdad.

I wonder how much the tax payer will be billed for this kids flights home. That is until they charge the parents for it. Also, will there be child endangerment charges filed against the parents, since the kid is underage.

Next time junior, enlist! See the world and get paid!

by **Hackalicious** on Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:28 am

KnoxVegas wrote:Danny, this is one of your own! The state education pays off.

2. Truly a wonderful educational experience. Just proves how easy it is for people from all over the world to make it to the heart of Baghdad. What I really think is hilarious is that the kid speaks no Arabic and was seen using an Arabic phrase book to order food at a kiosk in downtown Baghdad.

Well, he made it to the border of Kuwait on his own. Then his family hooked him up with a connection from Beirut, and he never got to leave the green zone.

But the kid has balls, and he has the right idea if he wants to be a serious war correspondent. Most of what we hear is from hacks holed up in hotels, regurgitating press releases.

This kind of reminds me of Robert Young Pelton, who is a writer who travels to the world's most dangerous places.

by **Weberlax12** on Sat Dec 31, 2005 4:00 pm

Hackalicious wrote:
KnoxVegas wrote:Danny, this is one of your own! The state education pays off.

2. Truly a wonderful educational experience. Just proves how easy it is for people from all over the world to make it to the heart of Baghdad. What I really think is hilarious is that the kid speaks no Arabic and was seen using an Arabic phrase book to order food at a kiosk in downtown Baghdad.

Well, he made it to the border of Kuwait on his own. Then his family hooked him up with a connection from Beirut, and he never got to leave the green zone.

But the kid has balls, and he has the right idea if he wants to be a serious war correspondent. Most of what we hear is from hacks holed up in hotels, regurgitating press releases.

This kind of reminds me of Robert Young Pelton, who is a writer who travels to the world's most dangerous places.

What are you talking about this kid didnt have help from his family, he ran away. He go there on his own. He wanted to write about the situation, he wants to be a journalist and almost wound up dead, he made into the green zone when the AP saw him and took him straight to the green zone, and made him email his mom. kid is nuts, just because he wanted to write a paper on what is happening from his point of view. What on earth would make you decide to go somewhere, where people are blown up, captured, and beaten up. Especially when your young like him.

by **Hackalicious** on Sun Jan 01, 2006 5:21 pm

Weberlax12 wrote:What are you talking about this kid didnt have help from his family, he ran away. He go there on his own. He wanted to write about the situation, he wants to be a journalist and almost wound up dead, he made into the green zone when the AP saw him and took him straight to the green zone, and made him email his mom. kid is nuts, just because he wanted to write a paper on what is happening from his point of view. What on earth would make you decide to go somewhere, where people are blown up, captured, and beaten up. Especially when your young like him.

Yes, he ran away and made it to Kuwait on his own. That entailed buying a plane ticket.

If you read the whole article, he (fortunately) couldn't get across the border from Kuwait and ended up calling his parents. His family sent to go meet relatives who live in Beirut, Lebanon. They then arranged his safe passage from Beirut to Baghdad, where he stayed in a hotel. Regardless, he's lucky that he looks Iraqi, because he wouldn't have lasted long walking around otherwise.

What one earth would make you decide to go somewhere dangerous? Who knows. Adventure? Wanting to see for yourself? Wanting to make a difference? Is it that much different from the 17- and 18-year olds already over there with the military?

by **Jolly Roger** on Mon Jan 02, 2006 11:45 am

Hackalicious wrote: What one earth would make you decide to go somewhere dangerous? Who knows. Adventure? Wanting to see for yourself? Wanting to make a difference?

Read Into the Wild for an interesting study on a young man ( a graduate of Emory for the MDIA connection) who took many chances, the last of which cost him his life.

by **KnoxVegas** on Mon Jan 02, 2006 8:41 pm

I read that book and never, ever eat berries in the woods because of that incident. Yellow school buses creep me out too.