Don't also rule out ignorance.

It has been made clear on many occasions that the administration and the biggest backers of the war in Congress simply don't understand nuance.

Sunni? Shia? Kurds? These are different peoples with different cultures? REALLY? Why didn't we know that?

This was brought home most clearly by Trent Lott, when he said:

“It’s hard for Americans, all of us, including me, to understand what’s wrong with these people,” he said. “Why do they kill people of other religions because of religion? Why do they hate the Israeli’s and despise their right to exist? Why do they hate each other? Why do Sunnis kill Shiites? How do they tell the difference? They all look the same to me.“

I contend that there is a significant percentage of people in this country, and a significant percentage of people in Congress and the Bush Administration who, until very recently (and maybe STILL DO), think/thought that anyone of Middle Eastern origin knows and thinks like everyone ELSE of Middle Eastern origin... and is therefore an anti-American terrorist.

This ignorance and arrogance is a big part of why we have failed so miserably in Iraq.
We had no idea what we were getting into, and worse, we didn't care.