Everything we do is a calculated risk. Personally, if I was worried enough about my travel location that I was considering a bulletproof vest (translation: bullet-resistant), I probably wouldn't go.

Robert Young Pelton has written a number of books on traveling to dangerous lands. He also has a good monthly piece in National Geographic's "Adventure" magazine.

As others have pointed out, merely having the vest in another country is probably enough to get you singled out for some one-on-one time with the local authorities. That's gotta make our jails look like recreation centers.