I have to admire his guts ... not so sure about his judgement.
God rides with fools and children.
Sorry, I can't attribute this to guts, unless his brain cells are located somewhere near or below them.
This possibly not atypical 'Arab-American' kid had no freak##g idea what he was headed for, he only knew what he wanted to believe about Iraq, about journalism, and about being in danger.
The actuality of another place, one that is not designed or redesigned to accommodate yankee tourists, was so far beyond him that his most quotable response is mostly "Like..." and "ecstatic..." (no "Oh Shi#, that was close".)
His mother seems to have the thing pegged best with "I don't think I will ever leave him in the house alone again," (good plan!)