BAGHDAD-The crowds were so large that we had to approach Mutanabbi Street from
the river. We crossed the Tigris River in a small wooden boat and climbed up the steps. At
the top was a statue of the 10th century Iraqi poet Abu Tayeb Mutanabbi. Nearby was a
market named after him.
Mutanabbi Street has become a safe place for Iraqi readers to gather once more. Seven
years ago, a car bomb blew up the weekly market and killed 26 people. Now, it is crowded
once again with Iraqis