US Military: War is Good for Iraqi Teens’ Self-Esteem

Posted by Alex in Weapons & War on March 2, 2008 at 3:18 pm


Hooray for war! If any one ever asked you what the Iraq war is good for, tell ‘em this study by the United States Military Academy: it is good for the self esteem of Iraqi teenagers (if they’re still alive …)[Re-reading my intro, I agree that it was a bit snarky. It's never my intention to denigrate the US armed forces - they have my respect, support, and admiration for doing a difficult and dangerous job. Get back home safely soon, guys.]

Here’s an interesting study by the US Army on the effect of war on the psyche of Iraqi teens:

For obvious reasons, few social science researchers have ventured into Iraq since the American-led invasion. However, in 2004, a year into the hostilities, the US Army funded a team of Iraqi interviewers, based at the Asharq Centre for Polls and Marketing Research, to go into ten neighbourhoods of Baghdad to survey the concerns and self-esteem of 1000 teenagers.

The results showed that rather than damaging their sense of self, the war appeared to have bolstered the teenagers’ self-esteem, especially in those who felt most strongly that their country was under threat. [...]

The researchers said their finding was consistent with Social Identity Theory, which predicts that people will seek to maintain their sense of self when their identity is under threat. It’s also consistent with research on mortality salience, showing that people tend to shore up their sense of self when reminded of, or threatened by, risk of death.

Link (Photo: Staff Stg. Sean A. Foley [wikipedia]) - via Mind Hacks



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COMMENT

30 comments to "US Military: War is Good for Iraqi Teens’ Self-Esteem"

  1. Justin
    March 2nd, 2008 at 3:56 pm

    Interesting thanks for the post.

    As first poster I just want to get this out of the way for future commentators: Lets keep the politics out of it please.

  2. Ali S.
    March 2nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm

    I highly doubt war can be positive for anyone’s self-esteem. If anything I think it would damage it!

  3. Geekazoid
    March 2nd, 2008 at 4:40 pm

    Justin, I presume you mean only keep politics out of controversial subjects that pertains to the U.S. and Americans, right? I’m sure it’s alright to keep politics in it if it does not pertain to the U.S.

  4. FetishForPerception
    March 2nd, 2008 at 5:21 pm

    Oh finally. They’ve actually found one good thing about the war in Iraq! It boosts teenagers self esteem. Well in that case, I fully endorse the war in Iraq. God bless America.

  5. Tony LaRocca
    March 2nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm

    Alex, we all know you have an anti-US-military streak. Get over it. The US Military did a study, and found something interesting about psychology of people during wartime. They didn’t mean it as an endorsement of the war.

  6. PH
    March 2nd, 2008 at 5:50 pm

    It makes sense if you stop to think about it. When the lives of your family and yourself are many times based on what you do, whether it’s aligning yourself with the Americans, becoming dedicated to the burgeoning sense of patriotism within Iraq, or even joining the insurgents, it stands to reason that young men/women start to realize that their actions have important consequences in these situations. Thus, feeling like you are important and obtaining a greater sense of belonging within a group, regardless of what it is, will foster higher self-esteem.

  7. Adam Stanhope
    March 2nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm

    Quick - somebody tell the Republican Party that they have something positive they can run on this year!

    With this and the way they handled Terri Schiavo I see a victorious November on the horizon!

  8. Geekazoid
    March 2nd, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    I should have clarified, some people here only want to keep politics out of the discussion if it pertains to something that is perceived to go against their pro war/pro Bush stance.

  9. Evil Pundit
    March 2nd, 2008 at 6:55 pm

    I think that many people who grew up during World War II would have experienced this effect too.

    Considering the self-destruction of societies under totalitarian rule such as the USSR and Albania, it could be argued that living in a war is better than living under a dictatorship.

    The conditions of life in Iraq have improved since the overthrow of Saddam, the best efforts of terrorists and Democratic Party supporters notwithstanding.

  10. Adam Stanhope
    March 2nd, 2008 at 7:14 pm

    Ah yes, Evil Pundit. The “conditions of life in Iraq have improved since the overthrow of Saddam” in every area except for life expectancy, the economy, infrastructure, education, womens’ rights, crime, suicide, utilities, freedom of religion. Yay!

    Any day now they’ll be naming that square in Baghdad after George W. Bush!

  11. Tony LaRocca
    March 2nd, 2008 at 7:17 pm

    I should have clarified. Some people are so wrapped up in their own point of view that they see everything everywhere as proof of an attack on their personal ideas. What’s more, if anyone suggests that they shouldn’t jump to conclusions, they automatically band them in with their imagined enemy.

  12. ExNoctem
    March 2nd, 2008 at 7:32 pm

    An interesting story, but IMHO the parenthetical sidenote in the intro was a little strrong, Alex. War isn’t fun for anybody; that one struck too close to home, for me at least.

  13. Geekazoid
    March 2nd, 2008 at 8:16 pm

    One thing we need to keep in mind here folks. One, this study was done by the US military academy. Two, and this is a big two, this study was done way back in 2004. While I don’t deny the power of group and social identity dynamics, I think this is a rather dubious way of trying to put a positive spin on things, to say the least.

  14. Jennifer
    March 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 pm

    What a misleading post title. Shame on you!

    The study results are accurate. So what if it was funded by the US military? Don’t you think that if your country was invaded, your home constantly under threat, your life so frequently on the wire every time you step foot in the street that you would build a strong identity with your homeland and people?

  15. Evil Pundit
    March 2nd, 2008 at 9:27 pm

    There is no need to put a positive spin on things in Iraq. The fact is that for the vast majority of Iraqis, life has improved since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, in areas such as political freedom, life expectancy, the economy, infrastructure, education, women’s rights, crime, suicide, utilities, and freedom of religion.

    That’s what happens when a dictatorship is replaced by a democracy. Your personal choice to believe the misreporting of the left-wing mainstream media doesn’t change the reality on the ground.

  16. shecky
    March 2nd, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    Well, if this is the case, it’s well worth a trillion dollars. Right? For the kids and all.

  17. shecky
    March 2nd, 2008 at 9:52 pm

    life has improved since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein

    Since the overthrow of Saddam? You realize that isn’t a terribly high bar? I suppose in twenty years, when unemployment has fallen to twenty percent and the real wages of average Iraqis is higher than it has been historically, the war will prove to have been all worth it!

  18. Textwrapper
    March 2nd, 2008 at 10:01 pm

    “…the fact is that for the vast majority of Iraqis, life has improved since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein…”

    The fact is, that this is certainly not the case.

  19. Geekazoid
    March 2nd, 2008 at 10:20 pm

    Textwrapper, I would like to comment. I would concede that life improved for the majority of Iraqi’s IMMEDIATELY after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. And then the inept and corrupt current administration messed it all up and made things WORSE. The documentary “No End in Sight” brilliantly deals with this.

  20. emptyminded
    March 3rd, 2008 at 6:11 am

    I would doubt the casual relationship between war and improvement with self esteem unless they found a correlation with populations in other war torn areas (e.g. Darfur, Kosovo, etc.). I would think that Islam would play a key role in their development of their self esteem. Also, I would be interested to see a follow up interview with the same teens (assuming any are still alive) to see if their self esteem remained elevated with the extent of the continued hostilities.

  21. Alex
    March 3rd, 2008 at 6:44 am

    I’ve written similar intro along the snarky lines of “hooray for global warming,” only for the tongue-in-cheek effect.

    I actually don’t have an anti-US military streak, but rereading my intro, I’ll agree with Tony LaRocca that it does have an anti-military tone. That was unintended and I unreservedly apologize.

    Correction is posted above.

  22. johnk
    March 3rd, 2008 at 8:33 am

    Who says life improved for Iraqis after the overthrow of saddam?

    Are you out of your mind!!!!!?????

    It is a fact that even the neo-fascist Bush regime accepts that living conditions in Iraq have deteriorated since the fall of Saddam. From electricity and gas availability, to rampant extremist gamgs, the war in Iraq has been a veritable disaster for everyone involved, ESPECIALLY the Iraqi people.

    Most Iraqis say life was better under Saddam.

    If democracy is forced on people, it will not work. It has to come from within. The US doesn’t care though. We just want “free trade” and “government contracts” for our multinational corporate cabal to milk from every country we invade and the US taxpayers.

  23. Geekazoid
    March 3rd, 2008 at 8:45 am

    Alex, you don’t have to apologize because of a few disgruntled posters that object to their (and only their) viewpoints they perceive violated. I didn’t take your post as anti U.S. military at all. Anyone can be against certain wars and still support the troops. And others don’t support the troops, but that’s life everyone is entitled to their own opinions. I doubt these taking offense at the intro and thread would be offended if a topic here took potshots at anti war protesters and liberals. That is pure hypocrisy.

  24. Robin
    March 3rd, 2008 at 10:06 am

    I remember a report that concluded that the Inquisition wasn’t all that bad. It was funded by the Vatican.

    I remember a study that said the healthiest drink to consume after a workout was chocolate milk. It was funded by the Dairy Council.

    I’m starting to see a pattern here.

  25. Paul
    March 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 am

    I believe this to be true. I wonder how they feel towards America. Well I think that we already know.

  26. Tony LaRocca
    March 3rd, 2008 at 12:11 pm

    Alex - you don’t have to apologize for your opinions or what you write, and neither does anyone else here. I did comment on it, but no, it doesn’t offend me.

    As with most things in politics, the war in Iraq isn’t a black or white or even shades of gray issue - it’s more like the colors of oil swirling in a pool of water. Yes, we never should have started the war in the first place. Yes, even though our government did it with military and economic benefits in mind, the military has tried it’s best to protect and rebuild Iraq for it’s people. Due to a ridiculous desire to make the world see us as liberators instead of conquerers, the occupation was botched from day one. The problem now is that the terrorists (by that term, I don’t mean “the enemy” I mean forces that a) don’t wear uniforms b) act with only fear as a goal rather than tactics, and c) deliberately target civilians) target the public utilities, and target civilians who help our soldiers. They’re not targeting members of our military, they’re targeting the Iraqis who join the police force. Why the world doesn’t show 1/10th of the hatred it has for the US on these terrorists (as they’re the ones who are murdering people and destroying the country,) I don’t know.

    So far, there have been many parallels between Iraq and the Vietnam war. If - as so many want us to - the US simply pulls out, then - like after the Vietnam War - everyone who tried to help rebuild their country, everyone who was proud enough to hold up stained fingers after voting in their democracy - will most likely be slaughtered. (Remember all of those who were killed for helping the US after Desert Storm?) So yes, we created the problem, but we are trying - at the cost of our lives and our economy - to solve the problem. I don’t understand what other solution there can be.

  27. Broken5hift
    March 3rd, 2008 at 3:02 pm

    Unsurprisingly, a political discussion has turned into one comment being taken 10 different ways, a correction has been made when none was needed, someone blamed Bush, someone defended Bush, both points were moot, and in the end nothing was clarified, solved, or really even debated. The original point remains the same and nothing was accomplished except wasting time. God Bless politics.

  28. NiteWhite
    March 3rd, 2008 at 3:10 pm

    war is so primitive. i’m moving to switzerland.

  29. Johnald_Chaffinch
    March 3rd, 2008 at 10:19 pm

    in reply to the article:

    oh right yeah, so we’re doing them a favour?!?
    pull the other one…

  30. kinasmalte
    March 6th, 2008 at 9:43 am

    Don’t be afraid to speak against the Troops and don’t be dumb to support them. You can’t be that blind not to see the ruthless carnage, you can’t be so deaf not to hear the senselessness of conflict and not ever so tasteless not to devour the absurdity of your own words. Rise above reason or at least try to you dumb ass!


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