A Night of Lights in Samarra, Iraq
(Photos by Major Donald Green) At top, the lights of Samarra are beautiful from a distance at night. Below, center, a newly created irrigation ditch pumps water from the Tigris River about one kilometer inland for use in fields of wheat. At bottom, a view of a south Samarian village during a security patrol.
By Major Donald L. Green , April 30, 2008
Tonight as I returned from the Shower Trailer, I looked to the East and viewed a sight that in any other place would be unworthy of mention. The exception in this place, here and now, is change – constant change – and a story waiting to be told to the world that would never be heard otherwise. 
I am often asked by family and friends “what is it like in Iraq” or “how dangerous is it now? We see so much violence on the news.” I find it hard to explain most particulars and generally come up with a canned response of “just another day in the desert” and “it’s pretty safe, much more than what you see on television at any given time.” These are not lies, nor are they whole truths; the fact is that it’s easier than going into a list of details describing what it is like being part of a war located in a foreign country. In reality, being a soldier can be a little inconvenient to your family especially when compared to a life that typical American families are used to. As a soldier I made a cognitive choice to volunteer for this lifestyle and my family deals with that daily; furthermore, in a real perspective, I have very little to complain about, although my closest confidant may tell you different.
I generally avoid details about the talcum powder dust that permeates absolutely everything. It is now a weekly experience and lately a bi-weekly chore to go through each item in my modified semi-trailer living quarters to remove the fine layer of powder resting on everything. Electronics get a daily wipe down and if I am using a computer, every few hours of work requires a wipe down - else the static electricity build up will causing a dusty haze or sandy clogs in the keys. This happens in a room with four solid walls that provide an environmental shield from the outside. It is easy to imagine how much worse it could be for those without such benefits or the desire to keep the elements in check. 
This of course leads to the washing of one’s clothes and linens on a much more regular basis than one would normally at home. The dust holds more than one would expect, to include these pesky little things I believe are Sand Fleas. I am no micro-biologist, but I do know that something is there and whether they are actually fleas or not I care less. They bite; and having little bites that resemble chiggers on any part of your body is not a joyful experience. More importantly it certainly cannot be healthy to feed them so much in bed linens that I may lay in, so doing laundry is a great deterrent.
These, of course, are minor things in comparison to what my family deals with but there is also a mission and the people we are here to help. I look at the Iraqis who live in this very inhospitable land and wonder what makes them so strong to deal with the adversity found in their daily lives. Their nation has been occupied, warred over, fought for internally, and rested in the turmoil of politics and religion for its entire existence. Their entire existence is a result of the harsh land they live in and survival here has influenced their culture in ways that very few actually step back to see. The harsh desert has influenced their dress, the food and their culture and how they deal with others, to include outsiders who don’t understand their predicaments. The faces of the people grow old before their time and they treasure friendship and politeness above all. Family is the strong tie that binds in every village, city and province. With all these strengths there are many weaknesses, resultant of the last ruler and a political party that stripped its own nation of being properly educated and capable of freedom making them suspicious of anyone offering help in this difficult part of the world?
As the city of Samarra opens back up to commerce, the people have begun a long trip back to the great city it once was. I watch the change and hope (Inshallah-God willing) it’s enough to conquer and dismiss the last generation’s worth of tyranny faced here. As a soldier, I have followed my orders and I will make a positive impact on the people of Iraq - any way I can. It is the right thing to do and it is a fine example of what our nation does best in a global sense. Regardless of the naysayers, I see the value of what we do daily and why. It speaks to the values learned during my upbringing and it upholds the same values used to build the United States of America .
Tonight my sight is lights in the city of Samarra shimmering some miles off in the distance. These lights are the gleaming rays of progress in this one small corner of the world brought to bear by hard working, positive minded Americans and our daily partners in effort, the Iraqi Security Forces. A few months ago the lights were unseen; now they shine with the possibility of being brighter in the future. This story is truly worth being told.
Green is a 1985 graduate of Columbia City Joint High School and a 1995 graduate of Central State University, Ohio, and a career Army Officer.