Robert Young Pelton

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Robert Young Pelton
Born July 25, 1955 (1955-07-25) (age 56)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Pen name RYP
Occupation Journalist, Author
Nationality American/Canadian
Genres Adventure/Conflict
Children Twin daughters
www.comebackalive.com

Robert Young Pelton (b. July 25, 1955, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), is an author, journalist and documentary filmmaker. Pelton's journalistic work usually consists of conflict reporting and interviews with military and political figures in warzones. His career is notable because of the number of conflict zones he has reported from and the breadth of important figures he has interviewed..[1] His reputation is built on his professed ability to enter forbidden, deadly and violent places.[2].

Pelton has been present at conflicts such as the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi in Afghanistan, the Battle of Grozny (1999-2000)[3] in Chechnya, the rebel campaign to take Monrovia in Liberia and approximately 40 other conflicts. He survived an assassination attempt in Uganda[4] He spent time with the Taliban and the Northern Alliance[5] pre 9/11, the CIA during the hunt for Bin Laden[6][7] and also with both insurgents and Blackwater security contractors during the war in Iraq[8][9][10] Pelton's regularly published survival and political guide The World's Most Dangerous Places, provides practical and survival information for people who work and travel in high risk zones, and is a best seller.[11] With the book's best seller status Pelton has become an expert on work and travel in "high-risk" environments.[12] He was also host of the Discovery Travel Channel series Robert Young Pelton's The World's Most Dangerous Places from 1998 to 2003. Now residing in Los Angeles, California, Pelton currently writes books, produces documentaries on conflict-related subjects and operates Cultural Engagement Journeys into the World’s Most Dangerous and forbidden places.[13][14][15][16][17]

He is also a frequent television and magazine interview subject, often appearing as a raconteur of his various adventures and safety tips on shows as diverse as Oprah, Conan O'Brien, CNN, Fox, BBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and others. Pelton is a regular commentator for Shepard Smith's on Fox News, providing insight and background on breaking news.

In August 2010, Robert Young Pelton and Babel Travel teamed up to create the first organized entries into the World’s Most Dangerous and forbidden places. Their offerings, called Cultural Engagement journeys were created to give socially focused individuals an insight into the root problems of conflict and to help create pragmatic and sustainable solutions. Journeys in 2011 include; 11-45 day adventures to Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, North Korea and Iran, with trips in Colombia, Burma, Yemen [18] Liberia, Sierra Leone, Southern Philippines, Haiti, Cuba, Eastern Congo and Gaza[19][20][21][22][23]

Contents

[edit] Bio

Pelton was born July 25, 1955, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. At age ten, he became the seventh youngest student ever to attend Saint John's Cathedral Boys' School a school in Selkirk, Manitoba. Pelton claims to have been a lumberjack, boundary cutter, tunneler, driller and blaster's assistant before getting his first job as a copywriter when he was 17 in Toronto, working for the ad agency BBDO, having originally been working in the mailroom.[24] He moved to the United States where he worked for various multimedia companies that did product launches like working directly with Steve Jobs with the Lisa launch and Macintosh launch.[25] In his mid thirties he retired from the business world and focused his time on understanding conflict. Pelton quickly made a name for himself traveling and reporting from the dirty wars, rebel camps and war zones.[26] He got his break as a writer while reporting on the Camel Trophy, an annual event in which teams from around the world competed by overcoming some of the world's most hostile natural environments in Land Rovers. He was with the U.S. team and published his account in Soldier of Fortune.[24]

He licensed his content to companies like Microsoft and sold his businesses to turn full time to conflict coverage in the mid 90's. He began with a two book deal from Random House, a television series from Discovery and a major web event with ABC News.

While in Uganda he missed a bomb assassination attempt against him by the ADF, an Islamic group, by 10 minutes at the Kampala Speke Hotel.[27] In January 2003, Pelton was assigned by Discovery and National Geographic to do a television special and article on the Darien Gap. Pelton and two 22 year old travelers were ambushed, killing one Kuna Indian and injuring one other. The group was then kidnapped and marched at gunpoint through the Darien Gap by the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) and across the 90 mile jungle trail over the 10 days before being released.[28][29]

When AUC leader Carlos Castano finally learned of the identity of the hostages, he ordered Pelton and his companions released and issued a press release to Reuters stating that they were being held for their safety. Castaño had remembered Pelton's name from a meeting they'd arranged years before, and put in the order for the hostage's release.[30]

Pelton contributed to National Geographic Adventure as both a Contributing Editor and a long running Columnist from January 2001 to 2007. In December 2007 he released his article on Blackwater Worldwide. He was involved in negotiations with the President of Equatorial Guinea regarding the early release of coup plotters, Nick du Toit who had worked for Executive Outcomes in the mid-1990s. The story behind the coup and his efforts to free Nick du Toit and Simon Mann are documented in the May 2008 Men's Journal "How to Stage a Coup".

In December 2008 Pelton travelled the Horn of Africa with pirates and with an anti-piracy crew researching the piracy and anti-piracy industry. In January 2009 Pelton resumed immersion style coverage by going inside the Army's controversial Human Terrain System.[31] According to a 2009 radio, TV interviews and newspaper articles Pelton spent a year in an advisory position to the commander of ISAF and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A) in Afghanistan.[32]

[edit] Projects

Pelton has built a career around his own unique experiential style of reportage and documentary filmmaking, spending time with many different terrorist, rebel or insurgent groups around the world, often returning with exclusive and unique footage. Pelton began the "SoJo" concept or solo journalist concept for ABC News in 1996. Pelton filed copy, photos and video as he went to the world's longest running hotspots. The series called ABC News 'Dangerous Places' had a viewership of 800,000 people per day (second highest rated web event at the time after the death of Diana). Peter Jennings' documentary crew tried to document Pelton's to Bougainville, Afghanistan and the Southern Sudan but Bob Woodruff and Jay Ananai eventually deemed the assignment too risky and abandoned their attempts to follow Pelton.

[edit] Somalia Report

In his efforts to bring information from war zones directly to the people, Pelton created Somalia Report in 2011. With assistance from hired, local Somalis, he provides ground coverage of al Shabaab, pirates, governments, contractors, intelligence groups and regular people on a 24/7 information website. Pelton views this as a natural extension of his best selling book and TV series.

[edit] Cultural Engagement Trips

In 2010, Babel Travel partnered Robert Young Pelton to create a series of Cultural Engagement trips - the first organized entries into the world’s most dangerous and forbidden places.[33] Babel Travel aims to foster cross-cultural understanding and encourages its participants to help make a difference, especially in areas experiencing humanitarian crises. Robert Young Pelton and Babel Travel have developed these itineraries to give travelers first-hand experience in understanding the root problems of conflict and to help create pragmatic and sustainable solutions. These trips are designed to challenge how these countries are viewed.[34][35][36][37][38]

[edit] Writing projects

Pelton began in publishing as a publisher having purchased and later sold the Fielding travel guide concession named after Temple Fielding. Pelton had worked as a copywriter at age 17 for BBDO in Toronto but has no formal education. He has a high school degree from Mount Douglas Senior Secondary in Victoria, B.C.

Robert Young Pelton's first major writing project was his breakthrough guide to conflict; The World's Most Dangerous Places[39] The massive 1000 page plus book was disguised as a travel guide and written in a humorous and apolitical style. The first edition was written in 1993 and it currently is in its fifth edition. The sixth edition is due out in late 2011. The mascot of the book is Mr DP. Mr DP, a laughing skull that has been seen stickered on AK-47s,[40] Burmese RPGs[41] and in bars around the world. Mr DP can be seen at the History Bar in Djibouti and the Gandamack Lodge in Kabul.

Hunter, Hammer and Heaven is a 2002 book on his journey into three wars in three tiny countries Chechnya, Sierra Leone and Bougainville were examples of a jihad against the Russians, a mercenary war for resources and an eco war to preserve a native lifestyle.

Pelton has written about contemporary private military contractors (Licensed to Kill, Hired Guns in the War on Terror), as well as his experiences with US Special Forces in the opening weeks in the war on terror.[42][43][44][45] Of Licensed to Kill, one reviewer summarized: "His is a journalistic story-quilt of characters engaged as private security contractors and mercenaries in a variety of settings from Afghanistan to Equatorial Guinea.... The pages turn... because Pelton’s stories are intrinsically interesting."[46] He has also written a fictionalized account of his early life, entitled Raven, as well as an autobiography entitled The Adventurist.

[edit] Magazines

Pelton began writing feature stories for National Geographic Adventure and then continued writing a column entitled, "Pelton's World" for National Geographic Adventure. His feature stories covered his journeys into Afghanistan, Iraq and Colombia.

[edit] National Geographic Adventure Columns

"Pelton's World" column from National Geographic Adventure Magazine

Pelton has been profiled in numerous magazines including The World's Most Dangerous Friend by Tim Cahill inMen's Journal covering topics like Blackwater, the U.S. military Human Terrain System, South African mercenaries and American military volunteers in rebel-held Burma. He also has written about his time with Somali pirates and maritime anti-piracy security teams for Bloomberg Businessweek and security contractors in Iraq for Popular Mechanics.

Popular Mechanics - Running the Gauntlet [1] April 2005 Men's Journal - Inside Blackwater [2] December 2007 Men's Journal - My Friend, The Mercenary From Hell [3] April 2008 Men's Journal - The New War For Hearts and Minds [4] January 2009 Men's Journal - My Gear [5] October 2009 NY Daily News - Too Many Obstacles [6] December 2009 Men's Journal - An American Commando In Exile - [7] November 2010 Business Week - Somali Pirate's Rich Returns [8] May 2011 Foreign Policy - Kill the Messenger [9] February 2012

[edit] Interviews by Robert Young Pelton

One of the cornerstones of Pelton's quests has been to track down, meet up with and interview some of the world's most dangerous and wanted men. In some cases his unique access on the battlefield has led to troops or insurgents bringing him to interview high profile prisoners.

A partial list of Pelton's interviews:

  • Taliban leadership in Afghanistan in their first television interview (including Mullah Omar who would only allow his voice to be recorded)[49][50]
  • Aleksey Galkin[57] of the Russian GRU (captured by Chechen rebels and implicated Russia in the bombing of apartment buildings that led to the second war in Chechyna)
  • Imprisoned South African mercenary Nick du toit and President Obiang of Equatorial Guinea during his attempts to free Nick from a 33 year prison sentence for attempting to overthrow the country[58]
  • The leadership of the AUC. The right wing death squads of Colombia
  • “Tha-U-Wa-A-Pa” or the "Father of the White Monkey", the director of Free Burma Rangers, Burma
  • Asad Abdullahi aka Farah Hirsi Kulan "Booyah" One of the original three pirate "kings", Somalia
  • Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, President of Puntland

[edit] Interviews of Robert Young Pelton

Pelton's experience in over three dozen conflicts and independent point of view has made him a sought after and prescient commentator on conflict, the media and key historical events. A selection from the hundreds of interviews shows Pelton's range of expertise and opinions.

  • CNN - Afghanistan- [10] September 2001
  • CNBC - Geraldo Rivera interviews Robert Young Pelton [11] September 2001
  • NBC - John Walker Lindh Interview [12] January 2002
  • Salon - The Real War on Terrorism [13] April 2002
  • National Geographic - Account of Ten Day Ordeal [14] January 2003
  • NPR - The Ultimate Emergency Kit [15] 2004
  • Lost Art - The World's Most Dangerous Places [16] 2005
  • Travel Writers - Interview by Rolf Potts [17] 2005
  • Shadow Company - Documentary [18] 2006
  • Global Pundit - Eight Part Interview [19] 2007
  • Last Exit - Don't Call Him A Journalist [20] March 2008
  • Hammer Forum - Patriots For Profit [21] January 2010
  • Washington Post - Setting The Record Straight [22]
  • Deutsche Welle - Setting the Record Straight on Robert Young Pelton [23] May 2010
  • Ian Masters - Various Interviews [24]
  • Fox News - Various Interviews [25]
  • Coast to Coast - Various Interviews [26]

[edit] Rebel, Jihadi and Insurgent Groups

In order to gain access Pelton has spent an unusual amount of time living with, traveling with and documenting some of the world's best known insurgent groups. Some of the groups Pelton has lived with and interviewed include, the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan, the LURD in Liberia, MILF in the Southern Philippines, Bougainville Revolutionary Army, the Sudan People's Liberation Army in Southern Sudan, the Taliban in Afghanistan, the FARC and AUC in Colombia, the Chechen rebels and the Karen National Liberation Army, the Karen National Union and the Free Burma Rangers in Burma[59]

His access and interviews initially were to create The World's Most Dangerous Places. His unusual and death-defying efforts to get this access soon then morphed into his TV series and then into a series of other books and film projects.

Pelton has shown how he gets access and world exclusive interviews in his TV series The World's Most Dangerous Places for the Discovery Channel.

Pelton has also investigated from the inside the drug business in Colombia and Peru, mafia in Georgia and Turkey, and bounty hunting in Mexico.

A front page New York Times article in March 2010 and other articles in the independent Mother Jones Magazine and the Washington Post noted that Pelton was involved in providing a significant amount of high level insight, access and advice to the senior ISAF command on Afghanistan and Pakistan via a subscription website similar to his IraqSlogger venture in Iraq. In one case Pelton noted that a video he had been given was used to strike insurgents in Pakistan.[60][61] The New York Times corrected its assertions that Pelton was a contractor two months later with follow up articles about the correction in the Washington Post, Deutsche Welle and other outlets.[62]

[edit] Television Series

Pelton executive produced and hosted seven one hour specials for Discovery from 1998 until 2003. According to the site The World's Most Dangerous Places (which has video clips and a timeline), this was the line up of Pelton's series:

1) "The Crescent and the Cross"[63] - first footage of a new communist rebel group on the island of Negros (New People's Army), the MILF, pirates, a Crucifixion and Pelton tracks down the most wanted man in the Philippines, the man who killed Special Forces legend Nick Rowe

2) "The Lion of the Panjshir" - Pelton enters Afghanistan to find Ahmed Shah Massoud and then he enters the war on both sides. First with the Northern Alliance and then the feared Taliban[64]

3) "Home of the Brave" - A journey through America on a motorcycle to find rebels, revolutionaries and militias. Pelton visits with country & western singer Willie Nelson, native American activist Russell Means, motorcycle icon Peter Fonda and finds an American jihadi Aukai Collins[65] who trained in terrorist training camps run by Osama bin Laden

4) "Inside Afghanistan" - In his first post 9/11 show Pelton re-enters Afghanistan,[66] this time he is only outside witness to war with a Special Forces team that fights on horseback with a brutal warlord, General Rashid Dostum. He is in the battle of Qali Jangi and finds an American jihadi named John Walker Lindh, introducing the world to the first American al Qaeda member ever interviewed on the battlefield

5) "Inside Liberia" - Pelton enters a little known war in which he is surrounded by armed child soldiers in a brutal fight to the death. The rag tag LURD rebels and Pelton's group is surrounded by the violent forces of Charles Taylor. Pelton becomes close to the Small Boys Unit, a group of child soldiers and we meet "Survival" a 5 year old gun toting killer who befriends Pelton

6) "Inside Colombia" - Pelton is the first outside to interview and meets with the leaders Manuel Marulanda, Raúl Reyes, Mono Jojoy, Alfonso Cano of the deadly left wing FARC rebel group. Barely escaping being kidnapped by Mono Jojoy at a drunken party, Pelton then switches sides and searches for the right wing AUC death squads. While waiting he provides a rare inside view on the cocaine trade from growing to picking to processing the final product

7) "Kidnapped" - Pelton intended to be back from vacation to film a show about 9/11 in America but was kidnapped. His footage of the brutal kidnap is interwoven with previous trips to Grozny, Chechnya where he interviews a captured Russian spy Aleksey Galkin, then to Uganda where a young terrorist puts a bomb under Pelton's table at the Kampala Speke Hotel seriously injuring a number of patrons. Pelton then spends a long bloody night in Kampala, Uganda at other bomb sites trying to save shattered victims before heading to meet the SPLA in Southern Sudan and finally Peru in which Pelton's journey inside the drug war is cut short when he is hit and seriously injured by a car while riding his motorcycle on a mountain road

Although the WMDP series under Discovery's Mike Cheskin were renewed for another 8 shows, Pelton's series of specials were cancelled by Discovery after Pelton left for Iraq. The DVD versions are available on Come Back Alive

[edit] Documentaries

Pelton produced "House of War" with award winning documentary director Paul Yule to document the largest and most bloody battle in Operation Enduring Freedom, the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi. Pelton went to Iraq to cover the war for ABC Investigative and then led a search for a find of chemical tipped rockets for CBS's 60 Minutes. Pelton eventually chose to stay along the Syrian border with insurgents and later document evidence of mass graves around the country, traveling in a red Bentley previously owned by Uday Hussein.

Pelton would return to Iraq in late 2004 to live with a Blackwater USA security team running Route Irish in Baghdad while researching his book Licensed to Kill, Hired Guns in the War on Terror.

National Geographic TV hired Pelton to go inside the world of private security contractors for the film Iraq: Guns For Hire.

Pelton continues to be featured in a number of upcoming documentaries on a diverse variety of subjects that range from mercenaries, child soldiers, Private military company and conflict. They are a diverse selection including "Iraq for Sale" by Robert Greenwald, Shadow Company by Nick Bicanic, "Weapons of Mass Deception" by Danny Schechter, "Children at War" and "Bounty Hunting" by Bobby Williams as well as news documentaries and interviews by Al Jazeera, CNN, Dan Rather and many others.

[edit] News

Although Pelton has worked as a war correspondent for news organizations (CBS 60 Minutes, CNN and ABC Investigative) and in published and featured by by many others. He does not view himself as a journalist. He has been involved in the creation of three privately funded "ground network" news sites "IraqSlogger" Iraq, "AfPax" Afghanistan and the "Somalia Report" Somalia . His efforts to bring ground truth from war zones directly to readers and bypass the media have been controversial and covered in depth by news organizations and [67] with front page articles in the New York Times (including a retraction by the publication and others for incorrectly accusing Pelton as a government contractor).

Articles about the reporting errors in the New York Times article were published by the Washington Post [67] and other international [68] publications.

[edit] Personal Appearances

Pelton has promoted his controversial agenda of experiential education in selected venues like TED, colleges, television and long form radio like Coast to Coast.[69] His view that people must take responsibility for their own education, safety and insight and form their own opinions outside of the media and political environment has created a following at the Black Flag Cafe.

[edit] Adventure and Survival Gear

In 2011 Pelton designed and launched a line of adventure and survival gear starting with the DPx HEST (Hostile Environment Survival Tool) in a fixed version and a folding version called the DPx HEST/F (for folding).

[edit] Bibliography

  • Robert Young Pelton. Licensed to Kill, Hired Guns in the War on Terror (Reprint edition (August 28, 2007) ed.). Three Rivers Press. p. 368. ISBN 1400097827. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. DP Professional Strength (September 1, 2007 ed.). Collins. p. 304. ISBN 0061120219. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. The World's Most Dangerous Places (April 1, 2003 ed.). Collins. p. 1088. ISBN 0060011602. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. The Adventurist, My Life In Dangerous Places (June 19, 2001 ed.). Broadway. p. 268. ISBN 0767905768. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. Hunter Hammer and Heaven, Journeys to Three World's Gone Mad (January 1, 2002 ed.). The Lyons Press. p. 320. ISBN 1585744166. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. Come Back Alive (June 1, 1999 ed.). Main Street Books. p. 304. ISBN 0385495668. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. Hired Guns (June 28, 2007 ed.). Constable and Robinson. p. 320. ISBN 1845295900. 
  • The Best American Travel Writing
  • Best Adventure and Travel Stories
  • Robert Young Pelton; Mark Bowden; Tracy Kidder; Philip Taubman. Nate Hardcastle; Clint Willis. eds. American Soldier: Stories of Special Forces from Iraq to Afghanistan (First Edition edition (October 27, 2002) ed.). Da Capo Press. p. 364. ISBN 1560254386. 
  • Boots on the Ground
  • Robert Young Pelton. Fielding's Hot Spots, Travel in Harm's Way (December 1997 ed.). Fielding Worldwide. p. 256. ISBN 1569521662. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. Fielding's Borneo: The Adventurous Guide to the Island of Borneo Covering Brunei, Kalimantan, Sabah and Sarawak/1995 (Fielding's Borneo) (June 1995 ed.). Fielding Worldwide. p. 704. ISBN 1569520267. 
  • Robert Young Pelton. Three Worlds Gone Mad: Dangerous Journeys through the War Zones of Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific (First edition (December 1, 2003) ed.). The Lyons Press. p. 320. ISBN 1592281001. 

[edit] See also

  • House of War - Pelton worked with Paul Yule to produce this award winning look at the Battle of Qali Jangi
  • Weapons of Mass Deception - Danny Schechter's look at the buildup to the Iraq War features Pelton
  • Shadow Company - A feature length documentary by Nick Bicanic with footage and interviews of Pelton on mercenaries and contractors.
  • Iraq: Guns for Hire - Pelton executive produced this National Geographic Explorer look at life and death inside the gritty world of private security contractors in Iraq. Blackwater, HART and other companies gave Pelton exclusive access
  • Iraq for Sale: The War Profiteers - A documentary by Robert Greenwald with footage and interviews of Pelton on mercenaries and contractors
  • Time Machine: Child Warriors - In Bill Brummel's History Channel documentary, Pelton discusses his experiences in Liberia with the Small Boys Unit and other child soldiers
  • Bounty Hunters - Robert William's documentary for History Channel about high risk bounty hunters. Pelton details his experience in cross border snatch and grabs of wanted fugitives

Robert Young Pelton has been interviewed and his footage featured in a number of documentaries about battle's he has been witnessed, groups he has lived with and the private military industry

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Colouring Outside The Lines: Talking With Filmmaker Robert Young Pelton". Verge Magazine. http://www.vergemagazine.com/articles/39-features/287-colouring-outside-the-lines-talking-with-filmmaker-robert-young-pelton.html. Retrieved 30/09/2005. 
  2. ^ "Robert Young Pelton: The World's Most Dangerous Places". CXO Media with Daintry Duffy. http://www.csoonline.com/article/print/219645. Retrieved 30/09/2004. 
  3. ^ "Robert Young Pelton reporting during the siege of Grozny". ABC News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNLvbm7wqlE&feature=related. Retrieved March 2000. 
  4. ^ "The World's Most Dangerous Places". lost.art.br. 2009. http://www.lost.art.br/ryp_e.htm. Retrieved 2009-04-08. 
  5. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on Fox News - America Strikes Back". Fox News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X9TB3DR2SI&feature=related. Retrieved September 2001. 
  6. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on Fox News - Bin Laden Bounty". Fox News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnnGba2MHCU&feature=related. Retrieved November 2001. 
  7. ^ "Robert Young Pelton discusses Afghanistan on Extra". EXTRA. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAU7kZCY_Uo&feature=related. Retrieved October 2001. 
  8. ^ "Bin Laden Hunt Hurt by U.S. Disrespect of Afghans, Experts Say". National Geographic. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0330_040330_peltoninterview.html. Retrieved 30/03/2004. 
  9. ^ "Finding Bin Laden in Remote Border Region". NPR. 2004-03-24. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1785318. Retrieved March 2004. 
  10. ^ "Congress Investigates Private Military Contracts in Iraq". PBS. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/outsourcing_02-07.html. Retrieved 07/02/2007. 
  11. ^ "Robert Young Pelton discusses Afghanistan". PBS. 2004-03-24. http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/200403/20040324.html. Retrieved 2009-04-08. "His New York Times bestseller, The World's Most Dangerous Places, is an underground classic in the CIA" 
  12. ^ "The Ultimate Emergency Kit Interview with Robert Young Pelton". publicradio.org. 2004. http://savvytraveler.publicradio.org/show/features/1999/19990109/interview.shtml. Retrieved 2009-04-08. 
  13. ^ "Rather chat up a warlord than lie on a beach? Try a dangerous-places tour". USA Today. 2010-12-22. http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2010/12/rather-chat-up-a-warlord-than-lie-on-a-beach-try-a-dangerous-places-tour/135873/1. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  14. ^ "Robert Young Pelton discusses travelling in ‘Dangerous Countries’ on CNN". CNN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMP-Ji46D6I&feature=related. Retrieved October 2002. 
  15. ^ "A vacation to die for?". Florian Flade. 2010-12-22. http://www.periscopepost.com/2010/12/a-vacation-to-die-for/. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  16. ^ "Ferien im Irak". Zeit Online Deutschland. 01/02/2011. http://www.zeit.de/2011/04/Interview-Krisenregionen. Retrieved 01/02/2011. 
  17. ^ "Reisebüro bietet Urlaub in Krisengebieten an". Bild Deutschland. 2010-12-22. http://www.bild.de/BILD/lifestyle/reise/2010/12/21/urlaub-im-krisengebiet/reisebuero-bietet-iran-irak-afghanistan.html. Retrieved 22/12/2010. 
  18. ^ "Yemen's 'Perfect Storm' of Problems". FOX News. 2011-01-27. http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/shepard-smith/index.html#/v/4513692/yemens-perfect-storm-of-problems/?playlist_id=86928. Retrieved 27 January 2011. 
  19. ^ "Thrill seekers hit war zones Afghanistan and Iraq". The Herald Sun Melbourne. 2010-12-17. http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/thrill-seekers-hit-war-zones-afghanistan-and-iraq/story-e6frf7l6-1225972352042. Retrieved 17 December 2010. 
  20. ^ "Travel's newest niche market: danger". WorldRadio.ch. 2010-12-21. http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/travels-newest-niche-market-danger.shtml?22312. Retrieved 21 December 2010. 
  21. ^ "Goût du risque ? Babel Travel vous garantit l'adrénaline!". Tour Mag France. 12/01/2011. http://www.tourmag.com/Gout-du-risque-Babel-Travel-vous-garantit-l-adrenaline-_a42386.html. Retrieved Jan 2011. 
  22. ^ "We'll fight them on the Beaches". Austrian Times. 2010-12-22. http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Around_the_World/2010-12-22/29304/Well_fight_them_on_the_Beaches. Retrieved 22 December 2010. 
  23. ^ "Urlaub in den gefährlichsten Ländern der Welt". T Online. 03/01/2011. http://reisen.t-online.de/urlaub-in-den-gefaehrlichsten-laendern-der-welt/id_43906268/index. Retrieved 3 January 2011. 
  24. ^ a b "Robert Young Pelton's Come Back Alive". Vagabonding with Rolf Potts. http://www.rolfpotts.com/writers/index.php?writer=Robert+Young+Pelton. Retrieved April 2009. 
  25. ^ "RYP speaks about Steve Jobs and Apple". Lost Art. 2008-08-23. http://lost.art.br/ryp_e.htm. Retrieved August 2008. 
  26. ^ "Mercenaries or 'contractors'? Licensed to Kill by Robert Young Pelton". Asia Times Online with David Isenberg. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HK04Ak01.html. Retrieved 2009-04-09. 
  27. ^ "Robert Young Pelton survives bombing in Uganda". Lost Art. 2008-08-23. http://lost.art.br/ryp_e.htm. Retrieved August 2008. 
  28. ^ "3 Americans freed, 2 journalists still captive in Colombia". CNN News. 24 January 2003. http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/americas/01/24/colombia.journalists/. Retrieved 24/01/2003. 
  29. ^ "Robert Young Pelton Reportedly Kidnapped in Panama". National Geographic News with Sean Markey. January 22, 2003. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/01/0122_030122_kidnapping.html. Retrieved 2007-05-15. 
  30. ^ "Robert Young Pelton's World: The Kidnap Course". National Geographic. May 2006. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0605/columns/robert_young_pelton.html. Retrieved 6 January 2009. 
  31. ^ "Afghanistan: The New War for Hearts and Minds". Robert Young Pelton speaks with Mens Journal. http://www.mensjournal.com/new-war-for-hearts-and-minds. Retrieved 21/01/2009. 
  32. ^ "Too Many Obstacles For Victory In Afghanistan". Robert Young Pelton with the New York Daily News. 2 December 2009. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/12/02/2009-12-02_taliban_karzai_will_prevent_a_us_victory.html?r=news%2Fpolitics&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+nydnrss%2Fnews%2Fpolitics+%28News%2FPolitics%29. Retrieved December 2, 2009. 
  33. ^ "Dangerous Travel: What’s the attraction?". CBC Canada. 2010-11-19. http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/11/17/f-travel-dangerous-countries.html. Retrieved 19 November 2010. 
  34. ^ "Ferien im Kriegsgebiet". Berner Zeitung Switzerland. 2010-12-20. http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/schweiz/standard/Ferien-im-Kriegsgebiet/story/21629686. Retrieved 20 December 2010. 
  35. ^ "Riskanter Tourismus". Die Welt Online. 2010-12-27. http://www.welt.de/reise/article11868337/Lust-auf-Urlaub-in-Somalia-fuer-6500-Euro.html. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 
  36. ^ "Kalandos a szelleme, és a világot a maga valójában kívánja megismerni". Magyar Nemzet Hungary. 2010-12-27. http://www.magyarnemzet.hu/portal/755133. Retrieved 27 December 2010. 
  37. ^ "Mezi nejdobrodružnější dárky patří zájezdy do Afghánistánu, Íránu či Súdánu". Super CZ Online Czech Republic. 2010-12-28. http://www.super.cz/clanek/44081-mezi-nejdobrodruznejsi-darky-patri-zajezdy-do-afghanistanu-iranu-ci-sudanu.html. Retrieved 28 December 2010. 
  38. ^ "Hit är det farligast att åka". Aftonbladet Sweden. 2011-01-20. http://www.aftonbladet.se/resa/article8399862.ab. Retrieved 20 January 2011. 
  39. ^ "Book advises how to survive in trouble spots". Robert Young Pelton with Raul Reyes CNN News. 2 March 2001. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/TRAVEL/NEWS/03/02/danger.side/index.html. Retrieved 02/03/2001. 
  40. ^ "Mr DP in Somalia". Blade Forum. 2008-08-23. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8989325&postcount=10. Retrieved August 2008. 
  41. ^ "Robert Young Pelton in Burma". The BBC. 2010-11-22. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11817561. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  42. ^ "Robert Young Pelton discuss the growing role of mercenary contractors in war zones and the privatization of National Security". UCLA. 12/01/2010. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA906ajeky8. Retrieved January 2010. 
  43. ^ "Kerry Candaele's interview with Robert Pelton". Iraq for sale. 2009. http://iraqforsale.org/robert_pelton.php. Retrieved 2009-04-09. 
  44. ^ "Six Questions for Robert Young Pelton". Ken Silverstein with Harper's. http://www.harpers.org/archive/2006/09/sb-six-questions-robert-young-pelton-1157654152. Retrieved 06/09/2006. 
  45. ^ "Congress Investigates Private Military Contracts in Iraq". PBS. February 7, 2007. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east/jan-june07/outsourcing_02-07.html. Retrieved 2009-04-09. 
  46. ^ Peter J. Woolley, “Soldiers of Fortune,” in The Common Review (Spring 2007), pp. 46-8; or http://www.thecommonreview.org/fileadmin/template/tcr/pdf/TCR54.pdf Retrieved 12/27/2011.
  47. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on NBC - John Walker Interview". ABC News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC6MjOZE_pk&feature=related. Retrieved October 2001. 
  48. ^ "American Fighting for the Taliban now P.O.W.". Robert Young Pelton with the CNN News. 7 February 2001. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/02/sun.13.html. Retrieved December 2, 2001. 
  49. ^ "Unique Challenges in Afghanistan". Fox News. 2009-12-23. http://video.foxnews.com/v/3941140/unique-challenges. Retrieved 27 December 2009. 
  50. ^ "Robert Young Pelton discusses Afghanistan with Shepard Smith on Fox News - America United". Fox News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zxKlkKIg6o&feature=related. Retrieved October 2001. 
  51. ^ "Robert Young Pelton: Insights into Afghanistan". CNN News. October 2, 2001. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/COMMUNITY/10/02/pelton/index.html. Retrieved 2009-04-08. 
  52. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on Fox News - Capture of Kabul". Fox News. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X9TB3DR2SI&feature=related. Retrieved September 2001. 
  53. ^ "The real war on terrorism". Mark Scheffler. 2002-04-23. http://www.salon.com/books/int/2002/04/23/pelton/print.html. Retrieved April 2002. 
  54. ^ "What Is the Next Target in War on Terror". CNN. 7 February 2001. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0112/24/se.01.html. Retrieved 24/12/2001. 
  55. ^ "An American Commando in Exile". Men’s Journal with Robert Young Pelton. 2010-11-30. http://www.mensjournal.com/an-american-commando-in-exile. Retrieved 1 December 2010. 
  56. ^ "What happened to Blackwater CEO". Morning Joe with Robert Young Pelton. 2010-10-22. http://www.clicker.com/tv/morning-joe/Commando-in-exile-What-happened-to-Blackwater-CEO-1149128/. Retrieved 23 October 2010. 
  57. ^ "Hunter Hammer and Heaven, Journeys to Three World's Gone Mad". RYP. http://comebackalive.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=182. Retrieved 2001-02-01. 
  58. ^ "My Friend, the Mercenary From Hell". Noah Shachtman. http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2008/04/my-friend-the-m/. Retrieved 25/04/2008. 
  59. ^ "Burma’s rebels fuel post election fears of violence". The BBC. 2010-11-22. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11817561. Retrieved 23 November 2010. 
  60. ^ "Setting the record straight on Robert Young Pelton". Deutsche Welle. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5609836,00.html. Retrieved May 26, 2010. 
  61. ^ Filkins, Dexter; Mazzetti, Mark (14 March 2010). "Contractors Tied to Effort to Track and Kill Militants". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/world/asia/15contractors.html?hp=&pagewanted=print. Retrieved March 15, 2010. 
  62. ^ "Robert Young Pelton gives an insider's account of how Michael Furlong co-opted AfPax to target militants in Afghanistan". Pacific Radio LA. 2010-03-15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr9AXRowUbY/. Retrieved March 2010. 
  63. ^ "Philippines - The Crescent and the Cross". Robert Young Pelton’s The World’s Most Dangerous Places. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ed8v7-aRY5E. Retrieved October 2000. 
  64. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on CNN - Afghan Dangers". CNN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bmd0NwMwKUE&feature=related. Retrieved October 2001. 
  65. ^ "Akil Collins, An American Mujahideen". Robert Young Pelton. 2007-12-23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc54V__lFfQ. Retrieved 27 December 2007. 
  66. ^ "Robert Young Pelton on CNN - Life in Afghanistan". CNN. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4L9wNZ1tqg&feature=related. Retrieved September 2001. 
  67. ^ a b "Setting the record straight on 'contractor' spies". The Washington Post. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/spy-talk/2010/05/times_corrects_spy_contractor.html. 
  68. ^ http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5609836,00.html
  69. ^ "RYP on Coast to Coast". Coast to Coast. 2010-08-21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQvjabU_tZc. Retrieved 27 August 2010. 

[edit] External links

  • Somalia Report Pelton's ground network news site on Somalia and piracy in the Horn of Africa
  • Come Back Alive, Robert Young Pelton's website
  • Babel Travel, Robert Young Pelton's travel website
  • Black Flag Cafe, Robert Young Pelton's forum
  • [27], IraqSlogger - Robert Young Pelton's news service from inside Iraq
  • [28], NPR Interview on the Hunt for Bin Laden
  • [29], Pelton discusses Blackwater and his experiences in Baghdad with the private security firm
  • [30], Advice for travel writers
  • [31], Insightful look into Pelton's motivation and cause
  • [32], Pelton discusses fundamentialism on the Echo Chamber Project
  • [33], Transcript of Pelton's interview with John Walker Lindh
  • [34], Pelton's background on John Walker Lindh
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