Polemistogenesis

This paper starts with the concept of iatrogenis coined by the late critical sociologist Ivan Illich to analyze unintended damage done by medical doctors. In this paper the concept will be applied to the military, re-coining the concept to polemistogenis (= unintended damage done by military action; polemistos is the warrior, where iatros is the medical doctor). There are three forms: clinical, cultural and social polemistogenis (and iatrogenesis!). All three categories will be discussed and illustrated with concrete, recent operational examples. In a very critical manner Illich even talks about disabling professions, when analyzing the medical sector. It is the challenge for the military in today's professional armies (disproportionally containing the so-called "violent few") to prevent the military from becoming a disabling profession itself.