US teen makes solo trip to Iraq.

US teen makes solo trip to Iraq. :

"Sixteen-year-old Farris Hassan from Fort Lauderdale in Florida did not tell his parents when he used his savings to buy a ticket to Iraq, arriving in Baghdad on Christmas Day."

Farris went on his trip to Baghdad as part of his immersion journalism course. His mother is shocked he got a visa, a ticket and, at 16, was allowed into Iraq. He doesn't speak arabic. He has learnt something from America because they have a long, and well respected, tradition of incisive journalists who cut to the heart of any matter very quickly and who will never give up on getting the truth. He was obviously inspired by his country and his teachers and the heritage of journalism in America to do a very brave thing to get to the truth of the matter: to go there himself and see. I am sure he will be grounded forever now and his allowance will be cut off now he has put himself so much at risk and I feel for the mother. She must have been beside herself when she found out. But she needs to be hugely proud of her son too because he wanted the truth. While he is grounded I hope he has access to a computer and some good mentors so he can hone his journalism skills.