There used to be a time when Iraq was accessible in the travel world.
There are some people who get to travel to Iraq and they come home
perfectly safe but as Americans, is it safe? It is not safe for anyone
to travel to Iraq but it is especially not safe for
Americans.
There are constant high threats of terror attacks and a high risk of
becoming a kidnap victim or a murder victim.
A misconception is that terrorists are only after military personnel in
Iraq, but it is simply not true. Kidnappers and murders are always
looking for ways to make the Iraqi government fail as well as wanting to
force United States Troops and Coalition forces out of the country.
There are security teams available for hire in Iraq but it is costly and
they cannot guarantee your 100% safety.
The conditions are unsafe on the ground, but any civilian aircrafts are
also at risk for being shot down by missiles. The road from Baghdad and
the Baghdad International Airport is unsafe as well. There are car bombs
and hijackings there on a weekly basis. In addition to the many
terrorist threats that happen everyday, Americans and others should not
travel to Iraq, the water is not safe, the food is not safe and even the
hotels that you choose to stay at are not safe.
Iraq is an active earthquake zone and sand and dust storms happen there
on a daily basis. Based on these facts alone, Iraq is a risk on a good
day. All government officials warn against tourist traveling to Iraq
especially Americans. The Middle East is not a place for Westerners to
begin with.
You will have to obtain a Visa in order to get into the country. This is
not an easy task especially if you are an American. The only place to
get these Visas are at the Iraqi Embassies in Paris, London and
Washington DC.
There are just so many things that can wrong in Iraq that at the current
time, it is not recommended that anyone travel there. Iraq has some
interesting history and Baghdad is a historical city but for the time
being, it is not feasible for Americans to travel there. Make a few
phone calls and see what the risks are and see if you are willing to
take these risks just to see a country that is in the middle of a
conflict.
