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

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

[Domangart]

This is a trip every J school student should make. Sort of thin the herd at the same time. What everyone failed to note is, he did not return to the same place or use the same route again. Also the Prodigal son returns so there was some relief.

[keithtoo]

Wow. 35 is a pretty sweet retirement age.

[maine-iac7]

ummmmp ahhh, how was a 16 year old able to travel to a foreign country - let along that region - without verified, signed legal docs from parents?
My 16 year old niece had a terrible time getting into Canada, even tho she had signed parental slip, an older sister with her and being met by my son-in-law, a US Navy pilot on 'loan' to RCAF in Nova Scotia. They were going to send her back on ferry to US alone!

[Kimmers]

When I said Dumb-a$$ I said it having raised 3 boys....I just shook my head because what 16 yo kids do rarely surprises me anymore....He really wasn't doing anything wrong and I find him pretty creative and what a story to tell the grand children!!!!

[Howlin]

immersion journalism

Is that the same thing as "Be the ball?"

[speekinout]

how was a 16 year old able to travel to a foreign country - let along that region - without verified, signed legal docs from parents?

Is there a 16 year old in this country without documents proving that he or she is at least 18? Maybe 21?
I sure do wonder where he got his passport, though. Fake passports are a big issue these days.

[kublia khan]

"He thinks he can be an ambassador for democracy around the world. It's admirable but also agony for a parent," Atiya said."

Sorry mom, but one that does something this stupid no matter what his age ends up with his name on his work-shirt. "Hutzpah" ain't worth a sh** without some brains to go along with it.

[Alouette]

I'll bet his hero is Johnny Lindh.

[AmericaUnited]

Wow! He'll go far if he manages to stay alive... :)

[Brit_Guy]

Now that takes me back! Well done to this kid. When I was 18 (a wee bit older than this one) - I took myself off for a years adventure and found myself working on the Southern Lebanese border and on my second night got to watch an incoming Hezbollah Katysha rocket. A few months later I got myself arrested in Jordan by the police after a row with a taxi driver over an inflated fee. In the rest of my life, in all the years since, in all the many (safer!) countries I have travelled too I don't think I have picked up as many unique stories as I did on that one mad trip. When you're a young kid you think you're immortal and it'll never happen to you. If you get away with it you get some great tales to tell!

(still when it goes wrong like that deluded 23 year old Brit in Gaza today I don't suppose the tales are quite as good)

[Danae]

"Does your mommy know where you are?"

Rollin on the floor laughing my arse off!

Well said!!! LOL

[doberville]

God rides with fools and children.

[Old Student]

"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."

If he lives long enough to graduate from high school, you mean? I admire his courage, but... another freaking teenage darwin-award-wannabe. If he learns some discretion to go with his guts, he'll be what you said, otherwise, he's roadkill.

[Old Student]

"Cool stuff. If he really wanted a dangerous trip, he could have just wandered around Compton for a few days."

More like hours. I haven't been there in something over 30 years, but I hear it hasn't improved much since then...

[Cowboy Bob]

"In one day I probably spent like $250 on taxis," he said. "And they're so evil too, because they ripped me off, and when I wouldn't pay the ripped-off price they started threatening me. It was bad."

I guess Hassan has never been to NYC.

[ApplegateRanch]

"This place is incredibly dangerous to individual private American citizens, especially minors, and all of us, especially the military, went to extraordinary lengths to ensure this youth's safety, even if he doesn't acknowledge it or even understand it,"

Oh, BS. That is pure anti-freedom-fighter propaganda. The Geneva Convention protects noncombatants/civilians...

...CBS just told me so, while condemning the IAF for causing sonic booms that "terrify" peaceful Palestinians.

Thank the Good Lord that Farris was at least as lucky as Farris Buehler was on his 'day off', and seems to have drawn the correct conclusions.

[BurbankKarl]

Because we can't have a teenager walking around the "dangerous country" we have been reporting for two years about.


>>>The AP quickly called the U.S. embassy.

[ApplegateRanch]

We were all dumbasses at 16. He was just dumber and luckier than most.

And much better-heeled than myself or any of my friends were at 16.

[Rebelbase]

"Whatever happened to running off and joining the circus?"

John Wayne Gacy kind of put a damper on being around clowns.