Macchi,
Are Iraqis "the living personification of pointlessness" ? The question, although itself pointless and somewhat ignorant, is no doubt being asked by plenty of people. One answer (for there are many) is that they are no more or less pointless than any of us who live in the Western 'civilised' world. They are simply different.
Saddam was, without question, a tyrant. His demise has probably benefited Iraq and the World. However, now that he has gone, who are we to dictate how the culture of a nation should develop? Iraq, like most of the Middle East, is based on a history of tribalism (and extreme violence, like every culture) and it is sheer arrogance to believe that we can or should try to change that by force. Why should their way of life be any less worthy than our McDonalds fed, High Street driven, soulless existence over here?
The drain on our global society is not, as you suggest, caused by the Middle East but perpetuated by the West's insatiable desire for its oil (see Gulf War I). It seems that sometimes our hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Don't get me wrong, I have served out there and my Wife is currently doing her bit too, and I am extremely proud of her and what we (the British armed forces) have done so far. Unfortunately we can't simply bang out and leave them to it, however we need to be extremely careful that we do not become sucked into a policy of bloody culture change that we cannot possibly see through. Treating the population of the Middle East as you suggest is one step closer to that policy.
Besides, the real trouble makers have always been the French......