"Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki waved to cheering crowds July 20 as he stepped off the first plane landing at Najaf International Airport.

The celebration marked the opening of a new airport that will facilitate travel, boost business opportunities and increase tourism.

'The Najaf airport is a starting point for competition among provinces and local governments to make extraordinary progress toward reconstruction. … We were determined to face the terrorism that was about to destroy Iraq,' Maliki said. 'The strong will of the federal government has fought and defeated it in all of its forms.'"