By Sgt. Grant Okubo
4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light)

FORWARD OPERATING BASE LOYALTY, Iraq – Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri Al Maliki addressed more than 1,000 Iraqi citizens when he attended the reopening of an historic marketplace in eastern Baghdad's Rusafa District Dec. 18.

Arising from the ashes of terror, the Mutanabi Book Market officially reopened to the public during a grand ceremony; Sabir al-Issawi, the mayor of Baghdad, and Abdala Radi, a representative of the Mutanabi book market owners, joined Maliki in leading the celebration.

After touring the book market, Maliki made a stop at a coffee shop in the historic street and visited "The Poet Mutanabi Statue," which stands near the harbor at the end of the street. Following his tour, Maliki addressed the ceremony attendees.

"The terrorist act against Mutanabi Street targeted the Iraqi culture and represented an act of hate against all of Iraq," exclaimed Maliki. "They [terrorists] represent destruction, and we represent the rebuilding of Iraq."

Many people consider the Mutanabi Book Market a hub of intellectual exchange. The market closed March 5, 2007, after a suicide bomber's vehicle-borne improvised explosive device attack killed 52 people and injured 104 Iraqi citizens.

The reopening of the Mutanabi Book Market is simply amazing, said Capt. Timothy Green, a native Columbus, Ohio, who serves as the effects coordinator for 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad. The completion of the Mutanabi Book Market rebuilding project clearly demonstrates the ability of the government of Iraq to make something look great.

"This was an Iraqi planned, funded and executed project that looks great," explained Green. "[It] is a significant 'return-to-normalcy' event. Renovating this market took technical planning, supervision and a dedicated budget."

Upon arriving at the Mutanabi Book Market ceremony, Col. Mark Dewhurst, brigade commander for 4th Bde., 10th Mtn. Div., expressed his feelings of "immense joy and excitement." Seeing the marketplace brought back to life after 13 months of the government of Iraq's hard work, using Iraqi money and ingenuity to make it happen, brought on Dewhurst's emotional sentiments, he said.

Rebuilding the marketplace is a symbolic gesture indicating the way of the future for the Iraqi people, said Dewhurst.

The fact that Maliki attended the ceremony shows the importance of the reopening. Dewhurst referred to the poet Mutanabi, the book market's namesake, as an important literary figure in Iraq and said the reopening reflects the important history and culture surrounding the marketplace.

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