Knowing what I know about this kid, maybe not crazy, but it’s certainly an unusual choice.
My kid studied three semester in Jordan - one in Irbid, two in Amman. He likes Jordan a lot. I gather the dialect spoken there is pretty similar to the entire Arabian peninsula. He traveled to Egypt twice and had little trouble getting around. Most Arabic language TV shows are produced in Egypt so it’s commonly understood. That said what you learn in school and read in newspapers is Modern Standard Arabic which no one actually speaks. You have to learn some dialect as well. Here’s an interesting article about just how different the dialects are: http://www.economist.com/blogs/johnson/2013/06/arabic?fsrc=scn%2Ffb%2Fwl%2Fbl%2Farmiesandnavies
I agree that the State Department’s assessment of where is safe enough for their critical language classes is a good way to judge safe countries. My son has been reluctant to spend too much time in the Gulf States because they basically use indentured servants in a way that makes them pretty much slave holders.