AP: U.S. Teen Runs Off to Iraq by Himself

Associated Press ^ | 12/29/05 | JASON STRAZIUSO

[Williams]

I admire what he did but would kill my kid for doing it. Just wondering, is it really that dangerous for any American that everyone was surprised he was alive after a couple of days? We do have some friendly population there I assume, and he barely left the international hotel, plus they let him fly into the country. Are you telling me being there is a sure death sentence for any American?

[presidio9]

Cool I always wanted one of those, but I got an M-978 HEMTT instead.

There's always next year sport.

[antaresequity]

"There is a struggle in Iraq between good and evil, between those striving for freedom and liberty and those striving for death and destruction," he wrote.

"Those terrorists are not human but pure evil. For their goals to be thwarted, decent individuals must answer justice's call for help. Unfortunately altruism is always in short supply. Not enough are willing to set aside the material ambitions of this transient world, put morality first, and risk their lives for the cause of humanity. So I will."

I am sure he got an "F" for this inclusion in his essay...

[McGavin999]

His mother, however, sees things differently.

"I don't think I will ever leave him in the house alone again," she said.

LOL, I know this was dangerous, but this kid has some real guts and I'd be willing to bet he's doing to have quite an impact on the world.

[airborne]

Using money his parents had given him at one point, he bought a $900 plane ticket ... "In one day I probably spent like $250 on taxis," ... a Kuwaiti cab driver almost punched him in the face when he balked at the $100 fare.

So, his parents gave him thousands of dollars "at one point" and he took off to Iraq.

Something smells here. If nothing else, his parents are not paying attention to what their kid is up to.

I think we'll be seeing more of this kid, and not in a good way.

[MplsSteve]

I agree.

This kid was stupid and is lucky he didn't get killed.

OTOH, he had some incredible life experiences from doing this.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Whatever happened to running off and joining the circus?

[al baby]

Well at least he did not go to Aruba

[Daus]

Hassan walked straight into a death zone.

Well, I'm glad they decided not to be overly dramatic or anything. If anything, this article proves that Iraq isn't all the dangerous and that death doesn't lurk around every corner.

[Redcitizen]

Aruba is for blond and pretty teenage girls...

[toddlintown]

My Lord, a wannabee journalist.

[blu]

He goes on an idealistic adventure...alone. No"We're Left Over From the Sixties, We Like To Demonstrate, Wear Birkenstocks and Trash the USA" organization standing behind him to handle the expenses, the pressstitutes, the bribes.

This kid's got chutzpah! If he were mine....well, let's just say he'd not be sitting for awhile! House arrest would look good..for a while. And then I'd do everything I could to encourage him to channel his enthusiasm appropriately.

Don't we need more humint in the Middle East? The Geneva Convention will have to be amended, tho, to include the allowed question: "Does your mommy know where you are?"!

[presidio9]

No, but whatever you do, stay the hell away from the "death zone!!!"

[Jeff Head]

First, where did this kid get the money to finance such a venture? Does he have his own credit card and a megga account to make these flights? Why didn't his parents contact the authorities and embassy in Kuwait when they knew he was there and cut off his funds and have him sent home from there?

Second, as to this, I want to experience during my Christmas the same hardships ordinary Iraqis experience everyday, so that I may better empathize with their distress

Well, Farris, you cannot really do that with a ten thousand dollar credit card account letting you fly the heck in and out of there whenever you please...whenever you decide you have experienced enough. Knowing them would only come when you had no such option and then experienced what they experienced day in and day out for years. I don't think you really want that.

Finally, as to this: he also wrote in an essay saying he wanted to volunteer in Iraq.

I applaud this if it is relly true...the nearest recruiting station will help you realize those very ambitions and desires if they are truly what you want to do.

[VeniVidiVici]

Wow!

I at least hope he gets an 'A' out of it!

[inquest]

As a junior this year at a Pine Crest School, a prep academy of about 700 students in Fort Lauderdale, Hassan studied writers like John McPhee in the book "The New Journalism," an introduction to immersion journalism — a writer who lives the life of his subject in order to better understand it.

Diving headfirst into an assignment, Hassan, whose parents were born in Iraq but have lived in the United States for about 35 years, hung out at a local mosque. The teen, who says he has no religious affiliation, added that he even spent an entire night until 6 a.m. talking politics with a group of Muslim men, a level of "immersion" his teacher characterized as dangerous and irresponsible.

Why would that be dangerous? It's a religion of peace, after all. Didn't the teacher properly read the No Child Left Behind educational guidelines?

[meanie monster]

lol

[ozzymandus]

His mother is a psychologist, which might wxplain why he's so screwed up.

[manwiththehands]

I'm surprised the AP didn't turn him over to insurgents for beheading just for the propaganda value.

[inquest]

Teen-aged boys and common sense seem to be sworn mortal enemies.

I think our civilization would be in some pretty serious trouble if that was not the case.