The Political Capital of War Wounds

Iraq’s healthcare infrastructure has deteriorated after decades of war and sanctions. A small fraction of Iraqis injured as a result of war have accessed quality care at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUMC), some funded by the Iraqi government. This chapter, based on the author’s work as a surgeon treating Iraqi war wounded at the AUMC, describes how powerful elites determine the political value of a war wound, influencing what a person’s injury means to the country as a whole and hence, the kind of treatment the Iraqi government is willing to sponsor. As such, the chapter sheds light on a form of social stratification shaping access to care for war-injured populations in Iraq and around the world, as political elites seek legitimation for their projects.