I too have spent a lot of time in the Middle East. The better educated ones are not a bad bunch, those with no education or little intelligence are easily led - just as in any poor nation. They are promised better homes/life etc if they support this or that group. The leaders of that group know how to manipulate the general population.
As was the case in our own country in the middle ages, religion is used to police the masses. The threat of some omnipitent policeman (God/Allah or whomever) is used to threaten the uneducated with punishment if they step out of line. That same god will protect them from any threat and therefore deserves their unquestioning support.
These people have noting else to 'hang their hat on' except for Allah and fighting the infidel. It will take years to change that (it took over 1000 years in our own country).
Whilst I didn't agree wholeheartedly with the reasons for going to war in the first place, if we pull out now then all has been for nothing. Some other dictator will assume power, there will be a big tribal, civil war and the whole region will be destabilised. The Kurds and the other 'friendly' factions will be abandoned (again) and we will skulk off to save a few quid on our defence budget.
PS, if we do pull out - I hope we never have the audacity to poke our ever weakening nosesinto some other nations business again!
Forgot to say - perhaps a dictatorial regime is best in places where the masses are uneducated? At least there is a modicum of civil order. The coalition needs to get tough and learn from the Iraqi methods until the people have chance to educate and civilise their masses. Huge investment will be needed from the 'West' as the population will always be discontent unless they see their standard of life improve.