THANKS, W!:

Welcome to Partytown, Baghdad, a city of nearly 8 million that has seen a dramatic mood shift since the deadly years that followed the US invasion of 2003 and the subsequent 15 years of war, most recently including a bloody fight against ISIS.

It's not just that restaurants and cafes are full until the early morning hours. It's also that the streets of commercial districts are filled with cars, music blaring, kids out having fun. "Now there's more and more activity at night," said Muntassir Mashadani, the 29-year-old night manager at al-Faqma, a famous Iraqi ice cream chain. Since Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory over ISIS in December, Mashadani estimated that business at night is up 25%. "There's been a very big change since."

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