Writing in The New York Times, Stephen Farrell and Alissa A. Rubin report the case of Luca Marchio, who showed up in Baghdad and Falluja as Iraq’s first Western tourist since the U.S. invasion in 2003. A 33-year-old from Como, Italy, Marchio obtained a 10-day visa, entered the country from Turkey, and traveled 200 miles by taxi from Kurdistan to Baghdad. After a guided tour of the city, he took a public minibus to strife-torn Falluja, where he was detained by the police and sent back home. Although Iraqis were startled by Marchio’s arrival, the fact is that in times of peace, Iraq has long been a legitimate destination for tourists. One of the cradles of civilization, Iraq is the site of the ancient cities of Ur, Sumer, Nineveh and Babylon. Iraq has great tourist potential, however Marchio’s visit was considered premature.