Iraq War Research Articles

The role of different factors in the development of cleft lip, palate, or both

Background: Cleft lip and cleft palate refer to congenital malformations characterized by fissures or divisions in the upper lip, the palatal region of the mouth, or both. Cleft lip and cleft palate occur due to incomplete closure of face tissues during fetal development. Objective: To identify the primary elements that could contribute to the occurrence of cleft lip and palate. Subjects and methods: The sample included 1080 patients distributed between cleft lip only, cleft palate only, and cleft lip and palate. Parents of participants answered questions related to their medical and exposure history. Subjects were seen over 13 years, from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2022. Participants came to our hospital with ages from a few hours to 3 months. Results: The distribution of cleft types in the sample was as follows: 11.6% had cleft lip alone, 29.5% had cleft palate exclusively, and 57.3% had both cleft lip and palate. The most significant number of patients, 28%, were found to be first-born individuals. The majority of dads who exhibited patience were aged 30 years or older, accounting for 65% of the sample. Among these individuals, 8.6% had a concurrent systemic ailment, while 40% were identified as smokers. Most moms were between the age range of 16 to 30 years (65.4%). Incorporate additional factors into the analysis, including the presence of familial cleft history and psychiatric disorders. Conclusion: We found a high frequency of consanguinity between the parents maternal psychology factors such as fear, hearing bad news or hearing loud sounds like gunshots (prevalent during civilian war in Iraq between 2010-2014 years) among parents of children born with cleft lip and palate.

“Life in death”: Decolonizing Trauma in Sinan Antoon’s The Corpse Washer

ABSTRACT This article examines the poetics of death in the Iraqi American writer Sinan Antoon’s novel The Corpse Washer. The novel depicts death as a leitmotif while emphasizing the perils of wars and violence on the Iraqi people. Throughout the novel, death is omnipresent, looming over the lives of the characters, particularly the protagonist Jawad who endures nightmares, hallucinations, and split personality. These conditions are engendered by prolonged wars and cycles of violence, including the Iran–Iraq War (1980–1988), the Gulf War (1990–1991), and the invasion of Iraq in 2003. In addition to these wars, characters in The Corpse Washer are victimized by foreign sanctions, suicide bombings, sectarianism, and political corruption. In analyzing the tropes of death and violence in The Corpse Washer, this article extends classical trauma theory informed by Western assumptions and championed by Cathy Caruth, Shoshana Felman, Dori Laub, and others. It decolonizes trauma theory by tracing cases of tragedy, violence, and occupation in the global South, an analysis that will render the theory cross-cultural and inclusive of non-Western traumata.

Periarticular blast wounds without fracture a prospective case series

BackgroundDuring the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq most injuries to service members involved the musculoskeletal system. These wounds often occurred around joints, and in some cases result in traumatic arthrotomy—a diagnosis that is not always clear, especially when there is no concomitant articular fracture. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the diagnosis and treatment of peri-articular blast injuries without fracture.MethodsThe study cohort included 12 consecutive patients (12 involved extremities) who sustained peri-articular blast wounds of the extremities without fractures. The diagnosis of penetrating articular injury was based on clinical examination, radiographic findings, or aspiration. A peri-articular wound was defined as any wound, or radio-opaque blast fragment, within 5 cm of a joint. The New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was calculated for each patient. Four patients had upper, and 8 patients had lower extremity injuries. Nine of 12 patients had joint capsular penetration and underwent joint irrigation and debridement.ResultsTwo patients had retained intra-articular metal fragments. One patient had soft tissue blast wounds within 5 cm of a joint but did not have joint capsule penetration. There were no significant differences (p = 0.23) between the distribution of wounds to upper versus lower extremities. However, there were a significantly greater number of blast injuries attributed to Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) than from other blast mechanisms (p = 0.01).ConclusionExtremity blast injuries in the vicinity of joints involving only soft tissues present a unique challenge in surgical management. A high index of suspicion should be maintained for joint capsular penetration so that intra-articular injuries may be appropriately treated.

War on Aisle 5: Casualties, National Identity, and Consumer Behavior

A growing body of research argues that external threats from the international system strengthen ethnocentrism and authoritarianism, personal values anchored in national identity. We evaluate a necessary implication of this argument, that these shifting values drive change in broader social behaviors. Our focus is revealed value change in a non-political setting: American consumers’ choice of supermarket brands that symbolize national identity. Our empirical analyses leverage US counties’ quasi-random exposure to US Iraq War casualties to identify the effects of local casualties on the weekly market share growth of “American” supermarket brands. We analyze weekly supermarket scanner data for a representative sample of over 1,100 US supermarkets and 8,000 brands. During 2003-2006, the weekly market share of American brands grew relative to non-American brands in casualty-exposed supermarkets. Variation in share growth across customer demographics is consistent with reactions to external threat. We rule out alternative mechanisms including partisan cues, other product characteristics, and animosity towards other countries. These findings strengthen IR’s theoretical microfoundations by showing that international politics can reshape values enough to change broader social behaviors.

ENERGY SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY DURING THE WAR: BARRIERS AND PROSPECTS FOR OVERCOMING

The article unveils the stages of evolution of the concept of energy security from the early ХХ century to the present realities, taking into account the full-scale aggression on the territory of Ukraine. The authors emphasize that in the past, energy security was primarily associated with ensuring the supply and delivery of oil and gas, but now it has become complicated with the supply of fuel for military purposes. It is noted that the Russian aggression against Ukraine has underscored the importance of the energy security policies of the United States and European countries. The article analyzes research results revealing security threats associated with the energy sector in the United States. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of decision-making covering technical, political, and programmatic aspects. New strategies for the energy market, including alternative energy sources and high-efficiency technologies, are discussed. The article examines the link between international conflicts and energy security, including the Persian Gulf crisis of 1991 and the Iraq war of 2003. The results of political debates regarding the confrontation between Russia, the United States, and Europe are presented, highlighting the need for the development of alternative energy sources and energy efficiency. It is determined that the future of energy policy should consider global trends and international relations, not just economic and geopolitical aspects. Current trends in the energy sector and their impact on energy security in conflict conditions are discussed. The importance of transitioning to renewable and alternative energy sources is emphasized amid declining reserves of traditional fuels and rising prices. Problems associated with continued dependence on fossil fuels, such as resource depletion, global warming, environmental issues, and geopolitical conflicts, are mentioned. The article underscores the necessity of cooperation between energy-consuming countries' governments to reorient their energy sectors. The growing threat of global warming and other issues necessitates immediate action to transition to less polluting energy sources. The article analyzes the impact of the war in Ukraine on the region's energy security and demonstrates the necessity of developing alternative energy sources to ensure energy supply stability. It is noted that energy security is a crucial element of a country's economic stability and plays a key role in international relations. Efforts by EU member countries to reduce dependence on gas supplies from Russia and effective steps towards developing alternative energy sources are highlighted. However, difficulties in achieving this goal due to inadequate coordination and increasing gas prices in Europe are noted. The necessity of swift and effective measures to ensure energy security amid modern challenges and conflicts is underscored.

‘A Grand Strategic Error’: the British military elite’s role in the invasion of Iraq

President George W. Bush required only symbolic British participation in the invasion of Iraq, so why did the Labour government deploy their maximum military effort when this was unnecessary and considerably increased the political risk to Prime Minister Tony Blair? The Chilcot Report (2016) provides considerable evidence of the military elite’s role, in pursuit of their perceived organisational interests, not only lobbying but also manipulating the Labour government into a maximum military role. Shortly after the invasion, the military elite began to pursue their next war, again pressuring and manipulating the government into Britain’s deployment to Helmand, Afghanistan, in 2006. While fighting wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the military elite were overstretched and in crisis, yet they successfully empowered themselves by deflecting responsibility onto the Labour government. Consequently, it is argued that the lack of democratic control over the military makes Britain particularly disposed to belligerence and fighting further unnecessary wars.

Junior allies in wars of choice: Party politics and role conceptions in Danish and Romanian decisions on the Iraq War

Abstract When and how do party politics matter in junior allies’ decisions to engage in multinational military operations? Developing a new role theory model of party politics and multinational military operations, we put forward a two-level argument. First, we argue that the rationale for military action is defined in a contest between political parties with expectations of what constitutes the proper purpose (constitutive roles) and functions (functional roles) of the state. Second, we hold that material and ontological insecurities reduce political space for contestation and debate, but that junior allies tend to focus on role demands for ‘good states’ and ‘good allies’ rather than the nature and aim of the military operation. To unpack our argument, we analyse the debate among political parties in Romania and Denmark leading up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Concluding our analysis, we outline the implications for the changing security order and current debates in NATO member states on how to respond to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Perivascular Space Burden and Cerebrospinal Fluid Biomarkers in US Veterans With Blast-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

Blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is recognized as the "signature injury" of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Sleep disruption, mTBI, and neuroinflammation have been individually linked to cerebral perivascular space (PVS) dilatation. Dilated PVSs are putative markers of impaired cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid exchange, which plays an important role in removing cerebral waste. The aim of this cross-sectional, retrospective study was to define associations between biomarkers of inflammation and MRI-visible PVS (MV-PVS) burden in Veterans after blast-related mTBI (blast-mTBI) and controls. The CSF and plasma inflammatory biomarker concentrations were compared between blast-mTBI and control groups and correlated with MV-PVS volume and number per white matter cm3. Multiple regression analyses were performed with inflammatory biomarkers as predictors and MV-PVS burden as the outcome. Correction for multiple comparisons was performed using the Banjamini-Hochberg method with a false discovery rate of 0.05. There were no group-wise differences in MV-PVS burden between Veterans with blast-mTBI and controls. Greater MV-PVS burden was significantly associated with higher concentrations of several proinflammatory biomarkers from CSF (i.e., eotaxin, MCP-1, IL-6, IL-8) and plasma (i.e., MCP-4, IL-13) in the blast-mTBI group only. After controlling for sleep time and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, temporal MV-PVS burden remained significantly associated with higher CSF markers of inflammation in the blast-mTBI group only. These data support an association between central, rather than peripheral, neuroinflammation and MV-PVS burden in Veterans with blast-mTBI independent of sleep. Future studies should continue to explore the role of blast-mTBI related central inflammation in MV-PVS development, as well as investigate the impact of subclinical exposures on MV-PVS burden.

Analysis of coverage of the 11 March 2004 Madrid train bombings in Spain’s El País and El Diario Vasco through war and peace journalism frames

This study examines the way in which two major Spanish newspapers, El País and El Diario Vasco, framed the 11 March 2004 (11-M) Madrid train bombings through peace journalism or war journalism, based on Peace Studies theorist Johan Galtung’s classification. An analysis of the news articles in the immediate aftermath of the bombings finds both frames present. The incumbent Spanish government initially tried to use the news media as a vehicle to present a premature interpretation that the Basque separatist group ETA perpetrated the attacks, even trying to pass a United Nations resolution. However, some journalistic coverage of the events in the week after the 11-M attacks portrayed the Spanish people’s sentiments regarding Spain’s support of the US in the Iraq war, Spaniards’ engagement with their democracy, including massive street protests, and parallels between the Iraqi people’s suffering and the Spanish train bombing victims. Other journalistic coverage focused on the perspectives of high-level Spanish government officials, emphasized the importance of prevailing in ‘the war on terror’, and provided an ‘us–them’ orientation.

TURKIYE: THE IMPLICATION OF IRAQ CONFLICT ON THE US–TÜRKIYE STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIP

The main purpose of this article is to investigate the foundations of relations between Türkiye and the US and to analyze the impact of the Iraq War on relations between the two coun tries. The relations that developed in the context of security after the Cold War were naturally supported by economic aid. Although there were many problems in the fragile relations during the Cold War, the ties between the two countries were never completely severed. While frequent occurrences strengthened Türkiye’s significance in the area, the divergent interests of the two nations have only recently begun to come into focus. The developments taking place in Türkiye’s neighboring countries also attract the attention of the United States, and the repercussions of events in these regions are reflected in Türkiye, especially concerning conflicts involving Russia. In this context, although the relations between the two countries are often touted as an alliance, it highlights the fact that it leans more towards a necessity. At this point, the Iraq War has had a significant impact on the relations between the two countries and has led to the emergence and increase of problems between the two countries. Keywords: Türkiye, United States, alliance, necessity, economy.

Associations between Predictors of PTSD and Psychosocial Functioning in Veterans: Results from a Longitudinal Assessment Study

Impairments in psychosocial functioning are common in veterans, especially in those with significant mental health symptoms. Although available treatments are aimed at alleviating these symptoms, impairments in psychosocial functioning do not appear to be fully addressed. To achieve rehabilitation and full societal participation, there is a need to identify longitudinal associations of both symptoms and functional outcomes which can be targeted in treatment. United States veterans (N=491) of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were recruited as part of a longitudinal assessment study which examined predictors of postdeployment adjustment. Veterans were assessed at four timepoints over the course of a two-year period. A Bayesian multivariate multilevel model was used to estimate the association of predictors of PTSD (depression, alcohol use, suicidal ideation, and sleep) on psychosocial functioning as encompassed by quality of life (Quality of Life Scale (QLS)) and disability (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS)) scores over time. As female veterans have unique environmental exposures and functional demands, interactions between predictors and gender were included in all models. There was significant overlap between predictors of PTSD and predictors of disability across domains and quality of life. Depressive symptoms and social support emerged as the strongest predictors of psychosocial functioning. Additionally, suicidality and alcohol use emerged as predictors of quality of life, but not disability. As expected, increases in PTSD symptoms predicted increased disability and decreased quality of life. The effect of depressive symptoms on quality of life was more pronounced for male veterans, and the effect of PTSD and alcohol use on quality of life was more pronounced for female veterans. Findings highlight various treatment targets which have the potential to improve symptoms of PTSD and functional outcomes. Findings highlight an opportunity to leverage intervention and prevention efforts focused on decreasing depression and increasing social support to improve trauma symptoms and maximize rehabilitation and functional recovery in veterans.

Legality of Americas Military Action Against Terrorism in Iraq from the Perspective of International Law

This paper mainly studies the legality of military action against terrorism under international law. It takes the anti-terrorism action of America in Iraq in 2003 as a case (Iraq war). It judges its legality and necessity by linking the action with legislations such as International Humanitarian Law and the (Third) Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War (of August 12, 1949). In the early stage of the article, the author traces the origin and defines the word 'terrorism' while introducing the counterterrorism acts enacted by the United Kingdom between 2000 and 2015 by summarizing the viewpoints of the reference. The author concludes that under the assumption that Iraq does meet the condition of conviction, some military actions of the United States violate international law and go beyond the necessary scope of anti-terrorism.

The Ethics of Law: How US/UK Intervention in Iraq and Russia's Invasion of Ukraine Breach the Principle of Virtue and International Law

The war in Iraq and the recent war in Ukraine symbolise the importance of resolving the crisis of international law and laws of war. In addition, the problematic aspect of these wars stems from the misconception of aggression or the composition of aggression. This falsity consists solely of the concept of aggression under international law, which has been abused, fragmented and confused. Therefore, this false idea of the concept of aggression under international law contributes to the development of modern conflicts. In an attempt to rationalise some of the fundamental failures in international law and the United Nations Security Council (hereinafter UNSC), this article seeks to examine whether the inclusion of ethics in the mechanism by which international law is implemented will be relatively useful. It explores whether ethical code can be incorporated into the mechanism by which international law is implemented, and if so, how can ethics enhance the existing rules and states' conduct? What role can ethics play in the justification of the use of force by the states, and what conclusion can be drawn from UNSC and states' practice? The article is divided into four sections. The first tries to explain the fundamental principles of ethics, while the second views international law in the conception of subject matter application and practice. The third section looks at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the UK/US invasion of Iraq. And the final part presents a philosophical conclusion on the subject matter. Keywords: Laws of War; Russia, Ukraine, Iraq and Ethics; International Law;

Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir: ‘the jurisprudence of blood’ and the ideology of ISIS

ABSTRACT In this article, I argue that Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir and his book, ‘Issues in the jurisprudence of jihad’ (Masāʾil fī fiqh al-jihād), has likely been a major source of influence on the formation of the jurisprudential aspect of a new form of the Jihadi Salafi ideology which was epitomized by the practices of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the first place and of ISIS afterwards. I point out the similarities between al-Muhajir’s ideas and fatwas issued in his book and ISIS’s views and actions espoused and enacted later on in order to demonstrate how the book contributed to the making of the jurisprudential aspect of ISIS’s ideology. I pick three main themes, which I deemed to be representative of ISIS’s traits, to that purpose. The suicide attacks and civilian casualties that showed a dramatic rise after the invasion of Iraq in 2003 make up the first. The second one is the anti-Shia sentiment and attacks as they follow from it. The last one, maybe an ISIS signature among various intellectual lines and currents of Jihadi Salafism, consists of ‘savage’ or ‘brutal’ acts. Based on these three main themes, I aim to display the influence of al-Muhajir’s standpoints on ISIS’s ideology.

Bilateral economic diplomacy between South Korea and Iraq

AbstractThe article discusses the evolution of Iraq‐South Korea relations since the late 1970s. It relies on Iraq's and South Korea's governmental platforms, local media outlets, and databases such as the Korea Statistical Information Service and the Observatory of Economic Complexity. This article argues that while in the 1970s both countries had economic rapport, bilateral economic diplomacy between both countries began in the 1980s, faced challenges in the 1990s and was revived by 2003. In the 1970s, the relationship was focused on trade and infrastructure. By the 1980s, official diplomatic and bilateral relations took shape, resulting in increased trade and South Korea energy ventures in Iraq. By the 1990s relations were dormant due to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait and the UN sanctions. In 2003, the diplomatic relationship was revived and further enhanced. These include energy, trade, infrastructure, and South Korea's humanitarian, military, and industrial assistance to Iraq. The post‐2003 phase shows the expansion of ties between both countries including the Kurdistan Regional Government. Bilateral economic diplomacy between South Korea and Iraq has not been without political and security challenges, particularly concerning Iraq's political stability.

Japan's Prisoners of Conscience: Protest and Law During the Iraq War by Lawrence Repeta (review)

Japan's Prisoners of Conscience: Protest and Law During the Iraq War by Lawrence Repeta (review)

The Significance of Baghdad in Rajiv Joseph's Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

The narrative of Rajiv Joseph's play Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo intricately weaves the city of Baghdad into its fabric. Baghdad becomes a half-character, playing an important part in enhancing our understanding of the play's thematic elements. Set during the Iraq War, the play delves into the intricate interplay of trauma, morality, and the absurdity of conflict. It uses Baghdad as a stage upon which to demonstrate these elements and as a key to unlocking their internal complexities. This paper examines both the historical significance of the city and its portrayal as a decaying urban landscape, as well as how both of these factors intensify the characters' internal conflicts. This paper interprets the battered condition of the city of Baghdad to be an accurate reflection of the emotional and moral state of the characters in the play. This study contends that the play's setting is integral to understanding the play's narrative and characters. It also arms us, as an audience, with heightened engagement to confront the play's existential themes with our sense of humanity in times of perceived unfathomable chaos. Rajiv Joseph depicts the layers of history and the city's psychological toll on its inhabitants, leaving us to question how free we are to make the right choices for the betterment of all.

Intimate partner violence perpetration among veterans: associations with neuropsychiatric symptoms and limbic microstructure.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration is highly prevalent among veterans. Suggested risk factors of IPV perpetration include combat exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, alcohol use, and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). While the underlying brain pathophysiological characteristics associated with IPV perpetration remain largely unknown, previous studies have linked aggression and violence to alterations of the limbic system. Here, we investigate whether IPV perpetration is associated with limbic microstructural abnormalities in military veterans. Further, we test the effect of potential risk factors (i.e., PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, mTBI, and war zone-related stress) on the prevalence of IPV perpetration. Structural and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) data were acquired from 49 male veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars (Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom; OEF/OIF) of the Translational Research Center for TBI and Stress Disorders (TRACTS) study. IPV perpetration was assessed using the psychological aggression and physical assault sub-scales of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2). Odds ratios were calculated to assess the likelihood of IPV perpetration in veterans with either of the following diagnoses: PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, or mTBI. Fractional anisotropy tissue (FA) measures were calculated for limbic gray matter structures (amygdala-hippocampus complex, cingulate, parahippocampal gyrus, entorhinal cortex). Partial correlations were calculated between IPV perpetration, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and FA. Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD, depression, substance use disorder, or mTBI had higher odds of perpetrating IPV. Greater war zone-related stress, and symptom severity of PTSD, depression, and mTBI were significantly associated with IPV perpetration. CTS2 (psychological aggression), a measure of IPV perpetration, was associated with higher FA in the right amygdala-hippocampus complex (r = 0.400, p = 0.005). Veterans with psychiatric disorders and/or mTBI exhibit higher odds of engaging in IPV perpetration. Further, the more severe the symptoms of PTSD, depression, or TBI, and the greater the war zone-related stress, the greater the frequency of IPV perpetration. Moreover, we report a significant association between psychological aggression against an intimate partner and microstructural alterations in the right amygdala-hippocampus complex. These findings suggest the possibility of a structural brain correlate underlying IPV perpetration that requires further research.

Psychosocial etiology of post-traumatic stress disorder caused by war trauma among Iran–Iraq war immigrants in Mehran, Iran

BackgroundPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most important and common disorders caused by war trauma. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between psychosocial factors and PTSD in war-torn immigrants in Mehran, Iran. MethodThe present study was conducted by descriptive and correlational method. The data were collected from 245 people (121 women and 124 men) from war-torn immigrants 45 years and older who migrated from Mehran to Ilam during the Iran–Iraq war. The measuring tools were as follows: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MDPSS), Coping Strategies Scale (CSS-R), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale. ResultsThe prevalence rate of PTSD among war-torn immigrants in Mehran was 35.1 %. A significant negative correlation was observed between perceived social support and PTSD (p < .01). Coping strategies, including seeking social support, reappraisal/adaptation, problem-focused coping, and active coping, all showed significant negative correlations with PTSD (p < .01). Conversely, a significant positive correlation was found between avoidance coping strategies and self-control and PTSD (p < .01). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the external locus of control (believing in chance) and PTSD (P < 0.01) and significant negative correlation between internal locus of control and PTSD (P < .01). ConclusionWeakness in social support, locus of control and also inappropriate coping strategies against war trauma were among the strong risk factors for PTSD. Therefore, social and behavioral interventions are recommended to increase social support, teaching problem-solving skills and strengthen individual control among war-torn immigrants to reduce the risk of developing PTSD.

The Hero and the Victim: Narratives of Criminality in Iraq War Fiction (book) &lt;br&gt;

The Hero and the Victim: Narratives of Criminality in Iraq War Fiction (book) &lt;br&gt;