This Spring Operation Iraqi Freedom will have itsfifth anniversary. After more than one million deaths and about $490billion U.S. dollars spent, we might reflect on just how free Iraq is.
At least we might look at the psychological fallout within the Iraqi population, specifically the war’s effects on teens.
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati conducted a survey thatmeasured the self-esteem of 1,000 Iraqi teens (including Sunni andShi’a) living in 10 neighborhoods in Baghdad.
All teens were exposed to news of assassinations, mortar attacks, car bombs, and other deadly threats.
The results are surprising. The more fear the teens felt, the highertheir self-esteem. Levels of self-esteem were actually as high as anyrandom sample of U.S. adolescents.
But the researchers say their findings are in line with a theory thatindirect threats to our sense of self (or in this case of one’s nation)will cause us to take action to bolster our self-esteem. Perhaps it’slinked to our sense of pride.
The word “indirect” is key here, because if it’s a direct threat, likea gun to the head, our response is not, “I’m proud to be me,” but more,“Uh oh.”
