IF THERE WERE AN AWARD FOR THE AMERICAN WITH THE LONGEST rap sheet in the Middle East, Matthew VanDyke would be a top contender. By his own estimate, the 36-year-old from south Baltimore has been arrested in Iraq no fewer than 20 times, each time for essentially the same offense: being an American with no official business in Iraq. The last time, he and a friend were mistaken for Al Qaeda operatives at an Iraqi Army checkpoint on the road from Kurdistan to Baghdad. They were on motorcycles, headed to the Iraqi capital to begin filming an adventure documentary called Warzone Bikers: Baghdad to Bagram.
VanDyke’s bike was damaged during the arrest, and after he defiantly asked the Iraqi soldiers to fix it, the duo were hooded, beaten, and driven to a compound in Baghdad where they were lined up against a wall and mock-executed. “I figured we were going to die, but I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me afraid,” VanDyke says matter-of-factly. “But don’t worry. Those days are over.” I’m glad to hear it, because right now, as he’s telling the story, we’re driving through Iraq on some very unofficial business.
There are two others in the Toyota Hilux: an ex–U.S. Army para trooper called Kojak and our driver, a burly Iraqi in his early 30s with a DIY tattoo of a cross on his wrist. The Iraqi, I’m convinced, is trying to kill us—swerving through an endless procession of oil trucks at 90 miles per hour as we ascend along a narrow two-lane road into the bright green mountains of Kurdistan.
Denne historien er fra August 2015-utgaven av Maxim.
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Denne historien er fra August 2015-utgaven av Maxim.
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WATER WORLD
The New York Yacht Club team, American Magic, will make another run at the America's Cup in Barcelona through October
THE 2024 MAXIM HOT 100
What does it mean to be hot? Maxim's eagerly anticipated Hot 100 portfolio asks just that, charting the individuals who are blazing a trail in entertainment, fashion, sports and pop culture. Not only are these world-class stars soaring high, breaking ground, smashing records and inspiring future generations with their inimitable talent and determination, they're doing it all while emitting a sizzling, sparkling energy that leaves us in awe. Read on with caution: These names are on fire right now!
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