American amateur photographer Justin King has just returned from his second trip to Iraq where he was embedded with the Oregon National Guard. "I wanted to see history being made on a micro-level," he says.
US soldiers have withdrawn from towns and cities, handing over security duties to Iraqi forces. Troops stationed in the tiny town of Qasbat al-Wajhiyah, in Diyala, have to wait before being allowed to enter a police station.
Colonel DeMoss of the Alaska 3-21 Infantry talks about the security situation with Colonel Saad of the Wajhiyah police force. "US soldiers have had to adjust to a new relationship with Iraqi security forces," says King.
"Wajhiyah Police Station openly welcomes US assistance," says King. "But few others do in an area surrounded by violence-stricken cities like Mosul, Muqdadiyah and Baquba."
Wajhiyah intelligence officer Hamad looks on as Captain Caprari shares information. "The captain told me he wanted to build a good relationship with local government that he could pass on to the next unit," says King.
US commanders have said security and stability is improving, and that Iraqi forces are now ready to take over security operations.
King: "For young men in rural Iraq, being part of the police force is an appealing prospect. The job doesn�t offer substantial wages, but it does offer authority and power."
Detainees in Wajhiyah jail. Limited resources and space mean people are kept in one crowded room.
Police stand by as US troops leave the town. "I saw the tension between troops and Iraqi forces. US troops have less freedom to act on their own initiative. Iraqis don't want to rely on US soldiers forever," says King.
King: "However the coming months unfold in small towns like Wajhiyah, Iraq has begun a new chapter in its struggle for security and peace."
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