Mr. Curious

Read the post at ProPaintball about the Ironmen playing PALM (paintball league of the Middle East) this season and was, no big surprise, curious. But not very. After quickly deciding I'd rather compete in the Iditarod -- naked, I almost forgot about it. Then I heard a brief report on a local sports radio channel about a U.S. women's badminton team denied visas by Iran -- apparently after being assured they would be allowed to compete.

So why PALM? What's the attraction for the Ironmen? What does the Middle East have besides a high concentration of murderous fruitloops, camels (dromedaries, not the unfiltered kind), a corner on the world veil market, more sheiks than you can shake a stick at, triple digit temperatures and hella lot of sand?

If the answer is an exploding market for paintball gear it's the best kept secret in the world. Pretty sure that's not it. I have an idea but I want to hear yours before I tell you mine. (Wow, that sounded way too junior high, didn't it?)