Military Experience and Casualty Sensitivity in Elite Discourse: Evidence From the U.S. Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Michael R. Kenwick, Sumin Lee, Burcu Kolcak, Department of Political Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, Department of International Affairs, The Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A, M University, College Station

Journal of Conflict Resolution

Published online on August 27, 2025

Abstract

Journal of Conflict Resolution, Volume 70, Issue 4, Page 690-719, April 2026.
Veterans are disproportionately represented among political elites, and the question of whether military experience shapes their behavior is a central puzzle in the study of international relations. Existing theories link military experience with hawkish ...