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. His reputation is built on his professed ability to enter forbidden, deadly and violent places.
Pelton has been present at conflicts such as the Battle of Qala-i-Jangi in Afghanistan, the Battle of Grozny (1999-2000) in Chechnya, the rebel campaign to take Monrovia in Liberia, the siege on Villa Somalia in Mogadishu and has been with ground forces in approximately 40 other conflicts.
He survived an assassination attempt in Uganda He spent time with the Taliban and the Northern Alliance pre 9/11, the CIA during the hunt for Bin Laden and also with both insurgents and Blackwater security contractors during the war in Iraq
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 bestseller. With the book's bestseller status Pelton has become an expert on work and travel in "high-risk" environments. 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.
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 Liberia, Sierra Leone, Southern Philippines, Haiti, Cuba, Eastern Congo and Gaza
Read more about Robert Young Pelton: Bio, Projects, Bibliography
Famous quotes containing the word young:
“Because the young child feels with such intensity, he experiences sorrows that seem inconsolable and losses that feel unbearable. A precious toy gets broken or a good-bye cannot be endured. When this happens, words like “sad” or “disappointed” seem a travesty because they cannot possibly capture the enormity of the child’s loss. He needs a loving adult presence to support him in his pain but he does not want to be talked out of it.”
—Alicia F. Lieberman (20th century)