100 Days in Samarra
(Photos provided by Major Donald L. Green) Above, a view of the market coming back to life because of an Iraqi National Police Checkpoint. Below, at top, Rizok Mosque, located in the center of Samarra, with local traffic flowing by freely nearby. Below, at center, a civilian designated garbage point was created to help get garbage out of the streets. Below, at bottom, citizens use their own tools, tractors and wagons to clean up the streets.
By Major Donald L. Green - March 14, 2008
I have now been in Samarra working with the Al-Askyrian Iraqi National Police Brigade for 100 days. It has become apparent that there is much work to be done before this city and its people are ready to provide 100 percent of their own security; however, it is purely amazing the concerted effort that has been made to better the situation. 
Samarra has been surrounded by an earthen berm and towers have been constructed to maintain 24 hour observation and security for the outside of the city to protect the inside as a whole. Entry points into the city are manned by the National Police (equivalent to our National Guard) and checks are made of the people and items being brought into the city to ensure there are no weapons that can harm the people of Samarra . Every vehicle is inspected and the people are generally willing to undergo the scrutiny for their own safet. Concerned Citizen Groups (Neighborhood Watch Groups) have become very active, and assist the National Police and the Iraqi Police in keeping the neighborhoods free of weapons and outsiders who would like to do harm to the local tribes or security forces.
The people of Samarra who formerly threw trash into the streets, have cleaned up their refuse and have also started using local designated drop sites to keep the city clean. This is done of their own accord while the city services are being developed and organized by a local government that to this point have been too scared by threats to act on the city’s behalf. Streets that were formally impassable now have regular traffic and steady commerce has restarted in several local markets where Samarians are capable of buying any item needed for both survival and convenience. Children are attending school on a regular basis and many of the city’s unemployed are now
working with the Concerned Citizen groups instead of accepting funding from insurgents to emplace Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) that formerly wreaked havoc on the daily activities of the city. There is a local bank opening and local goals include constant water and electricity services for the city before the end of the year.
Much of the success in this area has been the result of hard work by different elements of the United States Army and specialized teams like mine that have diligently worked with all of the aforementioned elements to make a difference. Most of the change was emulation, some was aggravation, and a great deal was perspiration by the people have become a part of the city regardless of their own cities they are absent from in the United States . One of the local Sheiks says it is “Kaalahu –Wahid” or “together one” putting the subtle crowning touch of exactly what is happening within Samarra and its outskirts. It is plain to see that the people, with the help of American Soldiers are becoming strong again and being “one” in creating a new future beyond what they have known for the last 5 years.
The local people and the Iraqi Security Forces are now smiling to each other and are friendly to the coalition forces. There is not a day that goes by where they do not give thanks with us for this newly realized freedom or are ask us to break bread and discuss our families, homes, wishes and desires. They also say thanks to our families for the time we must spend away from home to do our work here. They sincerely mean what they say as human beings and it is the most touching - human part of what we do. 
I revel in all of this experience. Brought to me in a different culture and at the response of a drastic turnaround in events for a city and a nation in 100 days simply because someone knew it was the right thing to do for the people of Iraqi. These are the things worth sharing – with my family and the world from a place most only know through the political media from a distance.
Green is a 1985 graduate of Columbia City Joint High School, a 1995 Graduate of Central State University, Ohio, and a career Army Officer.