Virtual reality Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) exposure therapy results with active duty Iraq war combatants

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is reported to be caused by traumatic events that are outside the range of usual human experience including (but not limited to) military combat, violent personal assault, being kidnapped or taken hostage and terrorist attacks. Initial data suggests that at least 1 out of 6 Iraq War veterans are exhibiting symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD. Virtual Reality (VR) delivered exposure therapy for PTSD has been used with reports of positive outcomes. The aim of the current paper is to present the rationale and brief description of a Virtual Iraq PTSD VR therapy application and present initial findings from its use with PTSD patients. Thus far, Virtual Iraq consists of a series of customizable virtual scenarios designed to represent relevant Middle Eastern VR contexts for exposure therapy, including a city and desert road convoy environment. User-centered design feedback needed to iteratively evolve the system was gathered from returning Iraq War veterans in the USA and from a system deployed in Iraq and tested by an Army Combat Stress Control Team. Results from an open clinical trial at San Diego Naval Medical Center of the first 18 treatment completers indicate that 14 no longer meet PTSD diagnostic criteria at post-treatment, with only one not maintaining treatment gains at 3 month follow-up. Clinical tests are also currently underway at Ft. Lewis, Emory University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Walter Reed Army Medical Center and 10 other sites. Other sites are preparing to use the application for a variety of PTSD and VR research purposes.

Cultural destruction and identity politics : targeting the history of Iraq

Since its inception in 1921, a number of successive regimes have sought to politicize Iraq‟s cultural history in order to develop national identity and foster social cohesion across this rich and complex nation. Foremost among these were the Baath party, particularly under the rule of Saddam Hussein, who used much of the nation‟s Oil wealth to undergo an extensive nation-building campaign. However, identity in Iraq is far from monolithic and various factions have long resisted the state sanctioned version of “Iraqi” identity and asserted alternative histories and narratives to underpin their own identity politics. With the invasion of Iraq by Coalition forces in 2003, however, came an unprecedented era of cultural destruction. Following the devastation of the battle phase of the war, there were further attacks on Iraq‟s cultural heritage including everything from the carefully choreographed removal of the giant bronze statue of Saddam in Firdos square, through to military bases set up at sensitive archaeological sites such as the ancient city of Babylon. In addition, Iraqi civilians targeted the cultural history of their nation with wanton looting and arson, as well as systematic attacks on sites of archaeological or ethno-religious significance. More recently, the Shia and Kurdish dominated Iraqi Government have organised the “Committee for Removing Symbols of the Saddam Era” and drew up plans to purge the state of its Sunni dominated past.

This paper argues that the unprecedented scale and magnitude of the destruction of Iraq‟s cultural history has played a part in eroding the various intersecting and overlapping versions of identity politics in Iraq. In turn, this has provided fertile ground for terrorists and sectarians to plant the seeds of their own narrow and deadly ideologies. This has brought about the rise of ethno-religious based violence and seen a series of bloody and protracted conflicts emerge between previously peaceful and compatible factions. In this way, Iraq serves as a powerful case study in furthering academic discussion on the complex inter-relationships between cultural and historical destruction and identity politics, sectarianism, violence and democracy.

Occupational stress and job satisfaction in media personnel assigned to the Iraq War (2003)

This paper investigates occupational stressors amongst media personnel assigned to work on covering the Iraq War via interviews with 54 journalists from the BBC and Reuters, who worked in Iraq between February and April 2003. A range of stressors were identified that could be categorized into three main themes, control over the situation, support from management and grief from the death of colleagues. Journalists not embedded with military units were more likely to report negative physical and emotional health outcomes. The study concludes that hazardous work environments do not, by themselves, cause stress and poor job satisfaction. Rather, organizational factors, the imbalance between the ability to make decisions about how to carry out their job effectively and the perceived rewards of working in such environments appear to have a greater impact on work related stress.

Aftermath of the Maidan. Ukrainian society two years after the revolution. OSW Commentary Number 199/04.03.2016

Two years after the Revolution of Dignity, it is clear that hopes of a quick reconstruction and modernisation of the Ukrainian state as a political and institutional system have not been fulfilled. The resistance of the bureaucrats, politicians and oligarchs who make up the informal, corrupt systems has proven to be very strong, and the will of part of the political elite and the EU and the United States to implement the procedures they have suggested has proved insufficient. If not for the war and the economic collapse, which forced Kyiv to seek external financial assistance and political support, the modernisation of the state would have proceeded even more slowly and with yet greater difficulty.

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 8 1/2 in. x 1 ft. 7 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; 8 1/2 in. x 1 ft. 7 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, left half

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, center: detail

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle: left and center

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; H: 8 1/2 in.; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, top register: detail of left side

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, center and lower register: detail of center

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, rear, Aftermath of the Victorius Battle, top register: detail of right side with entertainers

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen

Royal Cemetery, PG779, excavated artifact, #U.11164, Standard of Ur, War Side, upper left: first register

Ur (deserted settlement), Iraq; shell, lapis lazuli, red limestone; set in bitumen