Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Helane Boston MA — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:41:35 GMT

WoW! I could only think how horrible for the parents or family of the Iraquis to hear they had to pay for the rope their loved ones were murdered with!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Alex von Schlinke, Union City, NJ — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:41:44 GMT

Having worked for a bookstore for 3 years, I have learned how important such places are to the intellectual life of a society. When I first read of the destruction of this district I actually cried. I am heartened that things are getting better. If this district can be gotten back to its former brilliance, than I feel Iraqi society will have a chance, a freer more tolerant society than its diverse peoples have had so far.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Kristy, CT — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:03:37 GMT

Great story of survival and just a great story in general. The Iraqi people are true survivors. I hope that this return to "normalcy" continues. Thank you msnbc for showing some of the many positives coming out of Iraq! And thank you to our troops who are doing a trememdous job!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

David Soroko — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:09:48 GMT

A great story. Immediately after the Mutanabi book market bombing a US financed aid program began providing business recovery grants to help book sellers who had their stores and inventories destroyed. This was done in close collaboration with Iraqi government and multinational force units as a counterinsurgency measure. It had many sellers back selling books, from wooden carts, within two weeks. To this day US forces and government agencies continue to assist the Iraqis in the recovery of this traditional cultural center.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

jorge — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:39:59 GMT

If we hadn't invaded them against their wishes and basing it on a bunch of blatant lies, they never would have gone through any of this. And neither would we.

And it's not over by a long shot. The violence will return. It always does.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Steve — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 16:53:13 GMT

I hope the media lets this story alone so that the book market can rebuild out of the eye of the extremists. Do not turn the market in to a target. Lets make it an example for all Iraqis, after it has made a full return.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Bob, SLC, UT — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:04:40 GMT

Jorge,

It's agreed that we invaded Iraq on a false premise. That will be hashed and rehashed for the next fifty years.

The fact is that we are there now though, and that there are improvements in the situation in Iraq. We cannot just leave them in the state they are in now. And we cannot be constantly pessimistic that nothing will ever change. There is nothing wrong with embracing the gains that Iraq achieves as a country. Certainly, the citizens of Iraq want normalcy as much as citizens of any other country do. The more normal it becomes, they more they will want it. The only way Iraq will find stability is to build it themselves. Trying to take away their small victories is robbing them of the very thing they need to build stability!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Gregory Thomas Scheel, Mostly Homelss in California — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:04:44 GMT

This 'improvement' has been made possible because our troops are paying tribute to terrorists. Viewed in light of our soldiers handing out $300 to everyone who has ever tried to kill them really takes the shine off any kind 'good news' coming out of Iraq.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

adrienne, Asilah, Tangers — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:06:35 GMT

It is wonderful to hear the good news,but what about the continued slaughter of these incredibly brave,resilient, people by the coalition of the killing,sorry, willing?
We invaded a country on a tissue of lies and we wonder why the invaded retaliate.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Don Sebo Phoenix, Arizona — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:31:54 GMT

The Cradle of Civilization hangs on tenuously to the written word. The conflict in Iraq has truly been a tragedy in terms of loss of life and widespread destruction. But from the scortched earth, we are likely to see the rebirth of a nation that could have only happened the way it has. Perhaps it was divine intervention.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Carol Thompson, Ventura, CA — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 17:59:05 GMT

"It's agreed that we invaded Iraq on a false premise. That will be hashed and rehashed for the next fifty years."
That was a belief of "some" people.
Freedom doesn't come cheap. It needs serious sacrifice. Time will tell but the earth is a better place without Saddam & Co. Next to go is Bin Laden and Ahmadinejad and ... Chavez.
Many thanks to US Troops and the Chief.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Eric, Omaha, NE — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:00:21 GMT

At first blush, I think any type of reading brings enlightment to those who choose to do it. With enlightment comes wisdom. With wisdom comes reason and the ability to solve and accept differences amongst the populace, without strapping on a few pounds of plastic explosives.

With that said, I wonder why the market was bombed in the first place. Was it because some ignoramus didn't approve of the subject matter of some of these books? Did someone blaspheme Islam in their writings in one of the books? Or was Harry Potter not available to them?

The ignorant need bombs to speak for them, because they are at a loss for words. Reason, and the ability to reason, are the first and worst casualties of war. This applies to all participants of war.

Drop more books...not bombs!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Mark O, Helena, MT — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:33:41 GMT

Hillary must hate this. Freedom of thought in Iraq? She must be steaming mad and longing for her dictator friend Sadam to come back to power.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Susan Behrmann Matawan, New Jersey — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:02:33 GMT

Agreed Eric, drop books not bombs. But first there must be the freedon to read whatever you want to read, the freedom to sell and buy and discuss these books. Under the previous government only death and/or torture was your right, NOT freedon of the press and people. We ALL must learn from the past.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

ALLA PARKER, NAPLES, FL. — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:20:35 GMT

How horrible for the parents, and the nation. Maybe we
did the wrong thing by going to war with the murderer
Sadam,but i only can say this,I left my country ex USSR when I was 3 my father was left behing in the labor camps of Syberia. If people have just a little glipse for freedom which we as America contributed,so be it. I know what it is to be in fear.
God Bless our troops and American soldiers. In 1945
in Germany when the american soldiers came to town,where I lived, they were like Santa Claus to us
kids,they would give us chewing gum and chocalate,and
it was the first time we seen an Afro American in our life.
I DO HOPE WITH ALL MY HEART THAT THIS SITUATION IN
IRAQ AND MIDDLE EAST WILL RESOLVE SOMEDAY.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Daniel — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:25:08 GMT

I was a marine and part of the invasion force that liberated IRAQ. I entered IRAQ in an armored transport and expected to get shot at. Instead the streets were lined with people shouting with Joy. I was kissed by tear stained mothers and fathers blessing Allah that we had rescued them. Anyone who says the Iraqi people didn't want us to invade is either ignorant or a liar

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

jorge — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:27:49 GMT

>>The fact is that we are there now though, and that there are improvements in the situation in Iraq.<<

Improvements to the situation we caused. That's hardly anything to brag about.

>>We cannot just leave them in the state they are in now.<<

Why not? We don't care that we caused it. Why should we care if we fix it? As if we can fix it.

>>And we cannot be constantly pessimistic that nothing will ever change.<<

Why can't we when nothing has changed?

>>There is nothing wrong with embracing the gains that Iraq achieves as a country.<<

What gains??? They haven't gotten back a tenth of what we caused them to lose.

>>Certainly, the citizens of Iraq want normalcy as much as citizens of any other country do. The more normal it becomes, they more they will want it.<<

It's FAR from normal. FAR FAR from it. It will be 20 years before they are anywhere close to getting normal. You want to write a $196 billion dollar check every year for the next 20 years?

>>The only way Iraq will find stability is to build it themselves. Trying to take away their small victories is robbing them of the very thing they need to build stability!<<

Like my words make any difference to their situation. How are we supposed to fix it when we caused it?

>>This 'improvement' has been made possible because our troops are paying tribute to terrorists. Viewed in light of our soldiers handing out $300 to everyone who has ever tried to kill them really takes the shine off any kind 'good news' coming out of Iraq.<<

Exactly. And arming the Sunnis tends to make them less prone to try to kill us but does nothing to improve stability in the long run--now they have better weapons for their civil war--which WILL start up again because the problems that cause it have not been addressed--just put on a back-burner for a while.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Daniel — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 19:36:04 GMT

We have gotten them back much more than they have lost. They have freedom, freedom to speak and to act as they believe. People don't understand how oppressive Saddams rule was. People don't know the horrible atrocities Saddams family and the Republican Guard heaped on the public. From one who was there, things are better now than before Saddam. There is no need to find the negative aspect of the book market, it is a great accomplishment for us and the Iraqui people that it is up and running again. No reason to say more about it.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Adam — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:36:47 GMT

Jorge - I think you really need to understand the situation at hand before you spout your ignorance. As the Marine above pointed out and I remember seeing myself, the floods of people were more than thankful for riding the country of a cold blooded killer. I will agree that the plan to transition was a poor one and we have been paying for it ever since. However, take a look at what has happened in the last 60 days and tell me things are not headed in the right direction. Educate yourself with how we won our independance and tell me what you think is necessary to win your freedom!! I think some people forget what this country went through to become a free nation.

God bless our soldiers!!!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Dustin — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:42:02 GMT

To jorge and Carol Thompson,

Each of you symbolize what is wrong with taking an extremist stance. You are no better than the Sudanese who wish to execute a poor teacher for her faux pas against Islam.
Jorge, your pessimistic views have no value in times like these.
"Like my words make any difference to their situation. How are we supposed to fix it when we caused it?"
Fantastic display of humanity there. Obviously we helped create this situation. No one besides Carol would disagree. In no way does mean that events, such as the re-opening of the book market should go unappreciated.
Carol, you are the reason the majority of Americans disapprove of the Bush administration. I'm sure you'll also try to convince me that Iran and Venezuela are conspiring to invade the U.S. and kill my dog. You have either bought into the fear mongering or you are too naive to know that it is all propaganda b.s. spewed from the mouths of politicians who want you to forget that our president vetoed a health care bill for children.
Sad. Both of you.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

David DuVal — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:07:59 GMT

Jorge,
I don't think we could have aforded the luxery of finding weapons of mass destruction in this day and age. How you find them is look for the mushroom cloud. That's too late. Hussein was ruthless, as told by the interpretor's story of his friends hanged for no reason. This same monster was seaking any kind of weapon of mass destruction for use against us and/or his neighbors (one of which, ironically, is Iran). For me, the intent is all that's required. Unfortunately, mankind has not deveeloped the means for dealing with such a situation without it being problematic. The book market, though, displays the will, on behalf of the U.S. and Iraq, to succeed. One day the intelligencia of Iraq will be able to stroll through this market without Hussein's oppression threatening them or an IED exploding.
Cheers,
Dave

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Kathy, Norristown, PA — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 21:08:01 GMT

Thank you Daniel. You are a hero to me. May God bless you and keep you safe.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

ProudSoldiersMom, Georgia — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:25:40 GMT

Jorge, if you are so against the USA and the war... you are welcome to leave.... you and others like you are who make us look weak and divided to other countries who watch us so closely and must delight when they read ignorant folks like yourself babble words against our country. You are welcome to go anywhere you feel is better than the USA. It amazes me that if we are such a bad country, why do so many risks their very lives to get here? We are not perfect, but we are the best there is. There is a ticket leaving our country with your name on it...

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

ProudSoldiersMom, Georgia — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:34:30 GMT

Also Jorge, one only has to talk to an American Soldier who has served to know that the media mostly tells the bad. Soldiers can tell you about the stories where we are making a difference. Listening to the media breds ignorance to the facts. Kind of like brainwashing us to their agendas and what they want us to believe. Books are freedom. They take people to places they may never experience in person, but it opens them to other cultures and broadens their minds to other places where there is freedom and maybe they get a glimpse and will want to change their world for the better.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

ProudSoldiersMom, Georgia — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:36:32 GMT

Thank you Daniel for your service and your selfless willingness to sacrifice for the good of others.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

arresta3 — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:51:38 GMT

Jorge,
Ignorance is bliss and in your case you must be very happy.
War sucks, is horrible and all that... however, sometimes war is neccessary. Sometimes innocent people get kiled. Sometimes the world isn't the Utopia we had hoped.
We entered Iraq after repeated attempts to get saddam to comply with the UN investigators. Rather than do that he threatened us....this was AFTER WTC was destroyed. What idiot would threaten a nation that was just attacked and think that nothing would be done? The Iraq war was caused by saddam, NOT by Bush Not by Cheney NOT by any American. The blood of all the innocent Iraqis killed and all the US troops killed lies soley on the head of dead saddam.
When the US troops were rumaging around in one of saddams military planning rooms they came across a mural depicting 2 planes crashing into two tall buildings. Whether it was done after the WTC attacks (thereby making one believe that saddam found this attack something to be admired) or before the WTC attack (meaning he had a direct connection to the terrorists)doesn't really matter to me. He was guilty and WE made him pay.
So you liberal conspiracy theorists get off your high horses and accept the fact that we are doing good things there, and just like all the other wars we have been in, rebuilding is a neccessary thing that we have always done. Billions of dollars spent there will have a much better return than billions of dollars spent "greening" the world.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Val Schaffner (PE), St. Charles, MO — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 00:10:23 GMT

Thanks so much for the article, nice to see someone writing about normal Iraqis and showing what great people they are and especially their love for reading (which the Iraqis told me about first time I arrived there in 04). One thing, I just came back from my 2nd tour in Iraq (also 2 in AFghanistan and one in Kosovo) and don't get the statement about most Iraqis being couped up inside for months and unable to get out into the sun??? I was just there, also there in 04, 05, 06, and from infants to the elderly they are outside. Why are you insinuating everyone is hiding in shelters and unable to even go outside? Maybe this individual has to do it, but that is not the situation of the populace. I, as an American was out frequently in sector and the Iraqis are definitely outside their homes. This seems to mislead the folks that read this article. Thanks

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Johnny Haddad, Michigan — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 01:22:54 GMT

I’m proud to be an American from Iraqi descent and have witness the atrocities that committed by Saddam Hussein and his thugs. Iraqis celebrate
April 9th which is the day of the Saddam fall. No one said it’s an easy process to rebuild Iraq after 35 years of ruins under the dictator but things are slowly improving even though many mistakes were committed by the Bush administration. Many thanks to our American soldiers for freeing the Iraqis and I know that we will eventually work on to free the Iranians.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Philip Maryland USA — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 02:50:46 GMT

Thankful for Iraq People to have open FREE markets again

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Lisa McNeil,Alpharetta,Georgia — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:40:46 GMT

Dear Michele, It is wonderful the book market exists and that people are so very excited to read these books. I'm sure it is an escape from the tortures and violence that has been inflicted on these people. It is terrible the translator has those horrible memories of the captivity, but he has discovered how these literary escapes will help him forget at least for a little while in the pages of a book. I hope the book market continues to thrive and bring the Iraqi's into a literary world to escape the harshness of their real world. Peace to all!

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Paul Hinman, Edmonton, Alberta Canada — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:04:06 GMT

As a Canadian I find it difficult to understand the constant criticism of an attempt to remove a tyrant who used weapons of mass destruction on his own people and who got involved in a war with Iran that cost many many lives, plus his torture and execution of his own citizens.

Cleaning up Saddam's mess may take longer and cost more lives than was initialy forecast but it is a noble cause and one can oly pray to whichever diety you believe in that it will end soon and successfully.

May those who are exploiting the current state of affairs for their own purposes rather than for the good of the entire country be brought to task.

Those of us who are blessed to live in western democracies should spend more time giving thanks for our good fortune and less time finding fault.

May a peaceful solution soon be found.

Johnny Canuck

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Juan, MIami, FL — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 13:47:22 GMT

It is always welcome to hear that there is book-hungry people, especially in Iraq.

I remember reading sometime in Life Magazine, "books are the only thing that gets you out of the ghetto." Anybody looking for a book is willing to open his mind and start up a travel, so to speak, to enrich his/her mind.

No wonder Nazis, communists and religious extremists of all kinds are so fond of burning books, because their strength is in the people's ignorance. Do extremists and tyrants hate books? Absolutely.

As for Iraq, the reality is somewhere between the portrait painted by the media (which nowadays is quite unlikely to go beyond the surface and find out what really happens) and the stories told by those who has been there and seen things first hand. That reality makes one think of a good outlook, although that will take time. Especially when people keep looking for books despite bomb blasts.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Nelsons — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:10:19 GMT

That really is great news. Access to books is so critical to a thriving country. And as far as knowledge transfer is concerned, with most of the U.S. news organizations owned by Republican-run corporations, it's difficult to know what is really happening in or outside of the US. It's best to use external sources such as the BBC in addition to watching US TV news or reading US newspapers. So much is happening all around the world that we in the US never hear about because the US media is fixated on the latest missing blonde. It's our responsibilty as citizens to stay informed, and not just accept what the media decides to spoon feed us.

As for our brave troops, where would our country be without them? Please support them in a real way if you can afford it, such as sending packages to the troops. Some of the nonpartisan organizations I've used to help tropps and veterans are http://anysoldier.com/ http://booksforsoldiers.com/ and http://fisherhouse.org/
Please keep our brave men and women in your thoughts and actions.

If you want to help by making microloans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, such as Iraq, take at look at http://kiva.org/ I've been able to help loan money to several businesses in Iraq and other countries.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Jim Moser Sunnyside WA. — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 14:11:16 GMT

Like one person said, we should be dropping books, not bombs. Hopefully, the book banners in this country will realize that even books that can be distasteful for them doesn't mean it is for others. They are a door into the past, present and future. If at least we can get a foothold in other countries with books that will enlighten the minds of many people, change will come. One of the greatist things about books, one can travel all over the world/universe and never leave their home. Cool, isn't it. And special thanks to our military, the men and women who give so much. I firmly stand behind them. For those who don't like America, go live in North Korea, I hear it's wonderful there for you.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Mary Flickinger, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:28:44 GMT

Here here to the ProudSoldiersMom. We do have it pretty darn good here and having people continually bad mouth this situation does put us in a bad light at times. We are in it and we cannot just walk away. This story of the book market is very encouraging for all the reasons stated by many of the bloggers already.

I applaud our proud men and women who risk their lives everyday to try and bring some normalcy to the countries of Iraq and Afghanistan. Thank you for the sacrifices you make.

maryann, pennsylvania

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Susan, Baltimore Maryland — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:43:32 GMT

ProudSoldiersMom, how unAmerican of you to tell someone to leave for expressing his opinion. The most American thing we can do is voice our opinions, of the government and of each other. Telling someone to leave for doing so shows how much you know of the spirit of patriotism.

Baghdad's book market comes back to life

Carlene, DFW TX — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:05:47 GMT

Did we learn nothing from Vietnam? Now a major tourist attraction, US occupation (attempted "liberation", if you will) of Vietnam lasted 10 years and cost the lives of 58,000 Americans, not to mention 133 billion dollars. We won NOTHING. Where American blood once flowed, there now stand KFC restaurants.
Iraq has, so far, claimed over 3,000 US combat fatalities and cost 473 billion dollars - and counting. 40 years from now Iraq will be no better off for our sacrifice, nor will we. The Muslim factions will still be fighting; the corrupt, inept military and local officials will still be as ineffective as they are today. And chances are, another dictator will have taken the place of Sadam Hussein.
There is inequity, immorality, and political unfairness all over the globe. It is not our job to fix it. It is not our God-given right to decide who sits in power and who does not. We need to stay home and take care of our children, our elderly, and our economy. We need to support world-wide protection of the environment. The day that no American child goes to bed hungry or cold, then we can consider "rescuing" the rest of the world. Until then, I say we have our priorities all screwed up. But that's just me. And Hillary.