I have lived in the Middle-East for just over 5 years, although at the other end of the Gulf from Iraq - in Oman.
Just over 30 years ago this place was not far off the stone ages. It was illegal to educate your children, there were no records so people did not even know how old they were or when their birthday was. There were no hospitals. The only road was 7km long and went from the palace to the airport. Today, there are universities, hospitals, roads, bureacracy (you can't get everything right) and the people are civilised and friendly. Islam is still the "state religion", but there are christian churches here as well. There is even an advisory parliament for which there are elections, and there are women elected as well. My point is, not all of the Gulf is like Iraq now.
You also have to consider what the Iraqis have been through under Saddam. They have only known fear and now there are some power struggles going on, that are being enforced by the same kind of thugs that supported Saddam. I read quite a revealing comment today by an Iraqi on one of the Web Logs. He said that those who are trying to take power now, assumed that democracy meant a dictatorship by the majority. It will take time to overcome the power of the warlords/clerics.
We started this so we're going to have to finish it, otherwise it will all have been for nothing - no WMD and no freedom for the Iraqis.