Post-conflict Iraq Research Articles

Faculty Experiences of Higher Education Internationalization in Post-conflict Iraq and Tajikistan

As Iraq and Tajikistan recover from the impact of conflict and international isolation, spaces are being created for higher education to internationalize by opening up and (re)connecting with the international academic community. Drawing on 25 field-based interviews, this article examines how academics in these two countries interpret these processes of higher education internationalization. Four main themes emerged: bridging the gap created by conflict, reconnecting with the world, importing prestige, and integrating into the international academic community. Most respondents viewed internationalization processes positively even while recognizing that national political and economic factors are constraining how these processes develop.

The epidemiology of 32 selected communicable diseases in Iraq, 2004–2016

BackgroundThe 2003 invasion of Iraq significantly undermined population health. However, there is a lack of understanding of how it undermined communicable disease control. This study was performed to assess the incidence trends of 32 communicable diseases in post-conflict Iraq. MethodsReported incidence data for 32 communicable diseases (2004–2016) were collected from routine reports sent to the Iraqi Ministry of Health by primary health centers, and general and tertiary hospitals. Incidence (per 100 000) was defined as the number of reported incident cases divided by the population size. Joinpoint regression was used to examine the incidence trends and average annual percentage change (AAPC) for each disease, and the overall incidence rate across the period. ResultsCommunicable diseases increased significantly during the peak years of the war, especially during the US troop surge period (2007–2009). As US troops withdrew (after 2011), overall communicable diseases decreased. The incidence rate of nearly half of the 32 diseases decreased significantly, while the incidence rate of five increased significantly (hepatitis A, varicella, viral meningitis, cutaneous leishmaniasis, extrapulmonary tuberculosis). ConclusionsThe early foundational strength of Iraq’s health system may help explain why infectious disease failed to overwhelm the population following the invasion. Iraq’s federal government could exercise its legal authority to manage threats to public health security by expanding the disease surveillance system.

Colostomy closure in post Conflict Iraq

Background: Colostomy minimizes the risk of leakage at expense of requiring a second operation. In Iraq, published on colostomy closure in penetrating abdominal wall injuries is scarce.
 Objective: to Study the prognosis of colostomy closure in post-conflict patients in Iraq.
 
 
 
 
 J Fac Med Baghdad 2018; Vol.60, No.3 Received: June, 2018 Accepted: Oct., 2018
 Published: Dec.2018
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Method: This is a retrospective study of 52 patients subjected to colostomy closure, recruited for the period 2008 to 2009 from Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital and Children Central Teaching Hospital. Demographic data and information about colostomy (type, methods of preparation … etc.) were studied.
 Results: Trauma was noticed in 57.7% patients. Transverse colon was the commonest site of injuries. The complications were wound infection (19.2%), fecal fistula (3.8%), anastomotic leak (1.9%) and abdominal abscess (1.9%). A significant high complication rate was associated with conventional method of preparation, and double layer anastomosis (p = 0.004 rand 0.003, respectively).
 Conclusion: the finding were comparable with other centers in the world.

غلق فغر القولون في عراق ما بعد الازمة

غلق فغر القولون في عراق ما بعد الازمة

The Geography of Water and Oil Resource Governance in Post-Conflict Iraq

The governance of important natural resources in Iraq will play a large role in recovery of the country's economy, livelihoods and stability. This article examines the geography of the governance o...

Calories, conflict and correlates: Redistributive food security in post-conflict Iraq

War-torn Iraq manifests itself as an ideal laboratory for food-policy experimentation due to availability of unique data surrounding intra-household calorie consumption and the presence of selected correlates including, but not restricted to, substantial disruptions to social infrastructure and fundamental public-policy intervention. Among other findings, expenditure elasticities are mostly positive and dramatically curvilinear with respect to wealth; and lump-sum redistribution of The Iraqi Public Distribution System emerges as a feasible policy intervention. Extensions are discussed.

Glycemic control in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus in post conflict Iraq: a primary report

Background: Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a common disease in childhood. A linear relation between glycemic control (HbA1c < 7) and onset or progression of complication was detected. Only few individuals achieve glycemic control.Objective: To estimate the glycemic control among diabetic children attending tertiary center.Methods: All diabetic children registered in the diabetic consultancy clinic in Children Welfare Teaching hospital (298) were included in the study. Case records were reviewed and information on demography, weight and height, age at diagnosis and HbA1c was requested.Results: Out of the total, 23.8% diabetic children had glycemic control. Glycemic control was decreasing with age (p=0.001), significantly prominent in preschool children (p=0.001), and inversely related with BMI (p=0.03). Sex was not affecting glycemic control.Conclusion: Rate of glycemic control was low. It is poorer in those diagnosed in school age, adolescents and obese children.

Alcohol and drug abuse in post-conflict Iraq

Background: The 2006-2007 Iraqi Mental Health survey (IMHS) reported surprisingly low prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse in the Iraqi population. Since then anecdotal and clinical reports have suggested that abuse of alcohol and drugs in Iraq has increased. To investigate this possibility, we conducted a survey of drug and drug abuse at youth centers in Baghdad.Objective: To investigate this possibility, we conducted a survey of drug and drug abuse at youth centers in Baghdad.Patients and methods: A total of 2678 persons were included in this survey with male to female ratio of 3.8:1. They were randomly selected from youth centers located in different sectors in Baghdad (Sader city, Al-Rusafa side and Al-Karkh side). Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to generate diagnosis. The interviewers were youth center staff who were trained by psychiatrists. Demographic data, age of onset and crowding index were obtained. Data collection was carried out on Dec. 2009.Results: A total of 16.7% met criteria for alcohol abuse and 7.02% met criteria for drug abuse. In those below 18 years of age, 2.1% reported alcohol abuse and 1.1% reported drug abuse. The peak age for alcohol and drug abuse was at 24-35 years. No female reported alcohol and substance abuse. The age of onset of alcohol was 21.7 ± 3.6 years and for drug abuse was 22 ± 5.8 years. Alcohol abuse was significantly associated with high crowding index, but drug abuse was not associated with crowding index. Low educational level was associated significantly with both alcohol and drug abuse.Conclusion: High rates of alcohol and drug abuse were recorded. A tendency for early age of onset in alcohol and drugs was observed. High household density and low educational level are important factors in alcohol and drug abuse.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse in Post-conflict Iraq

Introduction The 2006-2007 Iraqi Mental Health survey (IMHS) reported surprisingly low prevalence of alcohol and drug abuse in the Iraqi population. Anecdotal suggested that abuse of alcohol and drugs has increased. To investigate this possibility, we conducted a survey of drug and drug abuse at youth centers in Baghdad. Methods A total of 2678 persons was included in this survey with male to female ratio of 3.8:1. They were randomly selected from youth centers located in different sectors in Baghdad. Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to generate diagnosis. The interviewers were trained youth center staff. Data collection was carried out on Dec. 2009. Results A total of 17% met criteria for alcohol abuse and 7.02% met criteria for drug abuse. In those below 18 years of age, 2.1% reported alcohol abuse and 1.1% reported drug abuse. The peak age for alcohol and drug abuse was at 24-35 years. No female reported alcohol and substance abuse. Age of onset of alcohol was 21.7 ± 3.6 years and for drug abuse was 22 ± 5.8 years. Alcohol abuse was significantly associated with high crowding index, but drug abuse was not associated with crowding index. Low educational level was associated significantly with both alcohol and drug abuse. Conclusion High rates of alcohol and drug abuse and a tendency in early age of onset in alcohol and drugs were observed. High household density and low educational level are important factors in alcohol and drug abuse.

Inter- and Intra-Ethnic Relations and Power Sharing in Post-Conflict Iraq

Inter- and Intra-Ethnic Relations and Power Sharing in Post-Conflict Iraq

The political economy of Iraq: restoring balance in a post-conflict society

Contents: Preface 1. Iraq's Lost Decades 2. Population and Key Macroeconomic Variables 3. Health, Poverty and Education 4. Corruption 5. Political Stability and Economic Development 6. Oil and Gas 7. Agriculture and the Public Distribution System 8. Financial Intermediation 9. State Owned Enterprises 10. Entrepreneurship in Post-conflict Iraq 11. Infrastructure and Essential Services 12. International Trade and Finance 13. Fiscal, Monetary and Exchange Rate Policy 14. Iraq in 2025 Bibliography Index

De-sectarianizing patterns of political mobilization in the post-conflict Iraq

Sectarian identity has played a significant role in electoral politics in Iraq after 2003. As in the cases related to the former Yugoslavia, ethic/sectarian cleavages are often mobilized when majority systems are introduced instantly through elections. In Iraq, electoral blocs were formed along sectarian lines in order to gain a majority of voters collectively, in a situation where most of the major political parties were composed of expatriates and had not yet established nationwide supportive bases inside Iraq. Mobilization patterns are diverse; United Iraqi Alliance (UIA) relied on sectarian networks, mainly in the southern governorates, while Iraqiya succeeded in obtaining a majority of votes in the central regions by combining various sources of mobilization, such as tribal, local and kinship networks, through which the fame of candidates was established. Differences among political parties in the patterns of nominating candidates depended on those in the previous regime. Iraqiya followed a similar pattern of mobilization during the former ruling system, while the al-Da'wa Party in UIA pursued absorption of local power into their own party structure, which caused conflicts between provincial political elites and the central government in 2011. Once the period during which competition for the ruling position in the central political authority has passed, forms of political contention other than sectarian rivalries emerge.

Bushova doktrína na Blízkém východě

The article is focused at the most important elements of the US foreign policy towards the Middle East during the administration of George W. Bush (2001 - 2009). The text has two parts. The first part shows three important influences on creation and formulation of the US foreign policy towards the region. At the first place it was an effort to preserve unipolar character of the international system, hegemonic possition of the USA and its dominance in all regions. The second source was specific decision-making process set up by president Bush and the third source of the Bush strategy was a partial transformation of the US longtime policy towards the Middle East. The second part of the article discuss results of the Bush doctrine in the region. The text is focused at five most important consequences of the US foreign policy, which are the fight against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the pursuit of the democratization throughout the region, the Israel-Palestinian conflict, regional "cold war" between Iran and Saudi Arabia and finally the struggle to stabilize the post-conflict Iraq.

Managing Oil in Post-Conflict Iraq

Managing Oil in Post-Conflict Iraq

Standardising and mapping open‐source information for crisis regions: the case of post‐conflict Iraq

Painting an accurate picture of the situation on the ground in countries in crisis is vital for the efficiency of humanitarian aid and reconstruction agencies. This study describes a method for standardising and mapping the plethora of open-source information. The test site for the study is post-conflict Iraq. Important information on aid distribution, reconstruction and security in Iraq can be derived from the reports of humanitarian aid agencies and the media, before being formatted, inserted into a database and mapped. The product is a visual, cartographic structure of otherwise random information, showing which organisations are working in the country, which thematic and geographic areas are being prioritized in the field, and which areas most frequently experience security events. This type of mapping not only highlights the overall working environment within different parts of the country, but it may also serve as a decision-making tool for donors and humanitarian aid agencies planning to deploy personnel.

A Year of De-Baathification in Post-Conflict Iraq: Time for Mid-Course Corrections and a Long-Term Strategy

A Year of De-Baathification in Post-Conflict Iraq: Time for Mid-Course Corrections and a Long-Term Strategy

Combining the Roles of Actor and Observer: Comments on Russell Burgos's “An N of 1”

I read Captain Russell Burgos's essay with both delight and empathy. He is obviously a talented and thoughtful scholar who has served his country in a vital way in very interesting times. My empathy comes from the fact that for the last 25 years I have divided my life between academic institutions and the Pentagon, where I have been on the planning end of four conflicts. Like Mr. Burgos, I have lived in a world where the realities of war and peace should have been the laboratory for the theories of international relations that I have learned and taught. Like Mr. Burgos, however, I often find the reality of contemporary war to be confusing. The theories that I have studied are a rather incomplete guide to the problems—both tactical and strategic—that the global war on terrorism has brought us.Joseph J. Collins recently completed three years as deputy assistant secretary of defense for stability operations. During that time he was charged with some of the early planning for post-conflict Iraq, though he did not have day-to-day responsibility for policy management in that area. A former career army officer, he holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University and has taught at Georgetown, Columbia, and West Point.

New Rights - New Laws: Legal Information in a Changing World Wide Web

When the organizers of the IALL Course on International Law Librarianship asked me to speak on resources on the World Wide Web related to the theme of the Course, “New Rights – New Laws: Legal Information in a Changing World,” I spent some time thinking about the theme. What do we mean by “new rights – new laws?” Do we really mean “changing rights, changing laws?” And what do we mean by a “changing world?” Are we talking about societies in the process of transition or that have undergone transition? Are we really talking about post-Communist Eastern Europe? Post-apartheid South Africa? The U.S. after September 11 – post-attack America? Post-conflict Iraq? The mega-changes in these societies can present threats to human dignity and rights. Times of upheaval, conflict, and political instability endanger basic human rights such as the rights to freedom of opinion, freedom of religion, freedom of movement, and freedom from arbitrary detention.

The Effect of Price and Income Changes on Food-Energy Intake in Sri Lanka

Data is used to analyze the food acquisition behavior of households from a 1980/81 survey designed to be nationally sectorally and regionally representative of Sri Lanka. The poor are shown to be much more responsive to price and income changes than other income groups. The urban population generally exhibits lower income elasticities of demand for food commodities. The poor appear to efficient substitutors thereby mitigating the effects of a price change on caloric intake. The important exception is rice whose elasticity of calorie consumption with respect to price was about 4 times higher than for any other commodity. The reluctance of households to substitute for rice even when faced with rising prices coupled with its large budget share show rice to be the most important consumption good. Higher rice prices are an important determinant of poverty for landless and urban workers. Moderating food prices preferably through technological change is a key ingredient to raising consumption among the poor. Simulations show that even if there are rapid and proportional increases in expenditures of all income groups this will not dramatically increase caloric intake among the poor. However if the absolute value of the increase in real expenditures were distributed equally to all households there would be a marked increase in the % of households consuming an adequate diet.

Is Income Overrated in Determining Adequate Nutrition?

There is now a wide measure of agreement on several broad propositions. Serious and extensive nutritional deficiencies occur in virtually all developing countries, though they are worst in low-income countries. They are usually caused by undernourishment-a shortage of food-not by an imbalance between calories and protein. ... Malnutrition affects old and young, male and female, urban and rural dwellers.... Malnutrition is largely a reflection of poverty: people do not have enough income for food. Given the slow income growth that is likely for the poorest people in the foreseeable future, large numbers will remain malnourished for decades to come. The most efficient long-term policies are those that raise the incomes of the poor, and those that raise food production per person. Other relevant policies include food subsidies, nutrition education, adding minerals or vitamins to salt and other processed foods, and increasing emphasis on producing foods typically consumed by the poor.'