Body Count: The War on Terror and Civilian Deaths in Iraq is an indispensable scholarly investigation into the human cost of the Iraq War, specifically the civilian casualties resulting from the 2003 US-led invasion and subsequent years of conflict. Dr. Lily Hamourtziadou, a Senior Lecturer in International Relations and Security at Birmingham City University, has dedicated over 20 years to documenting civilian violence in Iraq through the Iraq Body Count (IBC) project, which maintains the world’s largest public database of violence-related civilian deaths since the start of the Iraq War. Published by Bristol University Press in 2021, Body Count represents the culmination of these many years of dedicated research, in the form of a sobering and unflinching exploration of the violence that has plagued Iraq for over two decades. The book is dedicated to the people of Iraq, a dedication that resonates throughout its pages as Hamourtziadou weaves together data, personal stories, and analysis to form a narrative that is deeply moving, profoundly unsettling, and necessary.
Offering a critical perspective on the cost of the “War on Terror” in Iraq, Body Count traces the violent civilian deaths in the country from 2003 through the withdrawal of coalition troops and the rise of ISIL. Hamourtziadou’s analysis places these deaths in the broader context of power struggles, flawed and, indeed, criminal US foreign policy, radicalization, and the shifting dynamics of terrorism in the Middle East and beyond. Her work casts fresh light on international geopolitics and the devastation wrought by war, making it a unique and insightful contribution to the field of human security. Body Count could have been a dry collection of statistics but, instead, it does not hide from the human reality behind the numbers, including tables of data across the years, the insurgencies, and victims, but it also provides crucial context, explaining what these deaths meant also for the nation as a whole.
The book is structured in a way that guides the reader through the various phases of the conflict, beginning with the invasion in 2003, moving through the years of occupation, the rise of sectarian violence, and the emergence of ISIL as a dominant force in the region. Each chapter delves into different aspects of the conflict, examining both the immediate causes of violence and the broader geopolitical and socio-economic factors behind Iraq’s instability. Drawing on the data collected over the years by the IBC and its rigorous approach to documentation also provides the book with a level of credibility and authority that is often lacking in discussions of the Iraq War. The project has been ongoing since 2003 and is one of the most comprehensive public databases tracking civilian deaths in Iraq, relying on cross-checked media reports, hospital records, morgue data, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and official figures to provide an account of the violence inflicted upon Iraqi civilians. The staggering figures recorded by the IBC – 210,782 documented civilian deaths from violence – are themselves an underestimation, as they include only verified deaths.
Hamourtziadou’s work is not just about numbers; it’s about remembering the real people behind the statistics – people who lived, and loved, and were caught in the crossfire of a conflict beyond their control. Her ability to convey the complexity of the conflict without losing sight of the human stories at its core is rare and powerful. She successfully navigates the intricate web of political, social, and economic factors that have contributed to the violence in Iraq, while still maintaining a focus on the individual lives affected by these broader forces. This balance between the macro and micro levels of analysis is one of the book’s most impressive achievements, allowing the reader to gain a comprehensive understanding of the conflict while also connecting with the personal stories of those who have suffered as a result. It was often necessary to take breaks while reading. It wasn’t until the still of an overnight boat earlier this summer – no internet, electricity, or excuses – that I felt able to finish the book, to fully immerse myself in the immense suffering detailed in its pages, and for the enormity of the subject matter to be truly absorbed. This experience speaks to the impact that Body Count has on its readers, forcing them to confront the stark reality of war and the enduring legacy of trauma that will haunt Iraq for generations.
Indeed, one of the most striking aspects of Body Count is Hamourtziadou’s ability to balance the presentation of cold, hard data with the human stories behind the numbers. The book includes numerous tables and figures, detailing the scale of the violence across different periods, regions, and actors involved. Yet, Hamourtziadou never loses sight of the individual lives these numbers represent – fishermen mistakenly shot by coalition forces, children killed in airstrikes, and entire families destroyed by senseless violence. These stories are presented not as mere statistics, but as poignant reminders of the human cost of war. Hamourtziadou argues that traditional approaches to security, which often prioritize state security over human security, have utterly failed to protect civilians in Iraq. She advocates for a shift in focus toward the protection of individuals and communities, emphasizing the need for policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of civilians over military objectives. This approach would be not only more humane but also more effective in preventing the kind of violence and instability that has plagued Iraq for so many years.
Hamourtziadou’s critique is also not limited to the obvious perpetrators of violence. She holds Western and Iraqi officials alike accountable, criticizing the ineptitude, corruption, and moral failures that have compounded the suffering of Iraqi civilians. Her analysis extends beyond the immediate violence, exploring how decisions made by powerful figures far removed from the realities on the ground have contributed to the ongoing crisis. Hamourtziadou’s scathing critique of the international community’s response to the conflict adds a layer of depth to the book, making it not just a record of civilian deaths, but a powerful indictment of the systems that allow such tragedies to occur. And re-occur still. In this scathing approach to both Western and Iraqi politicians, Hamourtziadou makes it clear that she sides with the civilians caught in the middle of this horror, not with the powerful forces that perpetuate it. Her meticulous recording of atrocities committed by all sides, including the terror unleashed by ISIL such as the Speicher Massacre and Yazidi Genocide in 2014, further underscores the immense violence that Iraqis have endured. The sections on airstrikes, unlawful killings, and the personal loss experienced by so many are especially difficult to read, yet crucial to understanding the full scope of the conflict. One of the most powerful quotes from the book is from the chapter on airstrikes: “An entire generation of Iraqi children has known little other than life in a country riven by violence, fear, hopelessness, internal displacement, and poverty”. This quote encapsulates the reality faced by so many in Iraq – and a reality that Hamourtziadou documents with unflinching honesty.
Another of the most personally affecting sections of the book is Hamourtziadou’s coverage of sectarian violence and the Battle of Fallujah. These chapters were particularly difficult to read, as they brought to mind close relationships with families from Ramadi and personal experiences with people whose lives were directly impacted by this conflict. Reading about the Battle of Fallujah and the surrounding conflict was especially harrowing, as it gave space to grieve the immense suffering and devastation endured by those I care about. The pain and anger evoked by these pages were, at times, overwhelming. Hamourtziadou’s documentation of the death tolls and the personal impact on families and communities is profound. For every civilian casualty, there are of course countless others affected – families torn apart, communities devastated, and lives forever changed; including our own.
A central theme of Body Count is the idea of accountability, or rather, the lack thereof. Hamourtziadou highlights how the deaths of Iraqi civilians have been far too often minimized or ignored by those responsible for the violence. The book includes numerous examples of incidents where civilians were killed by coalition forces, but their deaths were either not acknowledged or were dismissed as collateral damage, or – perhaps worse – a mere few hundred dollars. Hamourtziadou’s work serves as a stark reminder of the importance of documenting and remembering these deaths, not only as a form of respect for the victims but also as a means of holding those in power accountable for their actions.
In addition to documenting the civilian deaths, Hamourtziadou also provides an analysis of the broader implications of the Iraq War, offering an understanding of the multiple layers of conflict in Iraq. She examines how the conflict has contributed to the rise of terrorism, the radicalization of individuals, and the perpetuation of violence in the region. The book delves into the complex dynamics of power struggles, sectarianism, and the role of foreign intervention in exacerbating these issues. In this way, the relevance of Body Count extends far beyond Iraq, particularly in light of ongoing conflicts in other parts of the world, such as Gaza and Ukraine. Hamourtziadou’s work serves as a powerful reminder that the lessons of Iraq have not been fully learned, as similar patterns of violence and civilian suffering continue to emerge in other conflict zones. The book is a call to action for better protection of civilians and greater accountability for those who wage war. It challenges the reader to reconsider the consequences of military intervention and the cost of conflict on human lives. Both the book and the logs of the IBC website would benefit from translation to Arabic.
Ultimately, Body Count is an indispensable tool in the ongoing effort to hold those in power accountable for the decisions that led to such widespread suffering. By documenting the civilian deaths in Iraq, the book provides a crucial record that challenges the narratives often perpetuated by governments and media that seek to downplay or justify the human cost of war. Hamourtziadou’s commitment to documenting and remembering these tragedies is nothing short of heroic, and her book stands as a testament to the importance of holding those in power accountable for their actions. Body Count is a powerful indictment of the systems that allow such violence to occur, and it serves as a call to action for better protection of civilians in conflict zones. This book deserves widespread attention and respect, not only for its scholarly contributions but also for its unwavering focus on the human cost of war. Indeed, Body Count is not just a book; it is a powerful tool for advocacy and change, and it has the potential to shape the way we think about war and its impact on civilians. It is a deeply upsetting, yet profoundly necessary, piece of work that should be read by anyone who cares about the future of human security and the protection of civilian lives.
For those interested in exploring the data and analysis provided by the Iraq Body Count project, iraqbodycount.org complements the insights found in Hamourtziadou’s book.