“Is Iraq normal? Of course not. Is it becoming normal?”

Yes, it is. Your mistake is applying the wrong criteria to Iraq. If you had said, ‘Is Iraq becoming westernized?’, then your answer would have been correct.
By the standards that matter for the future (suffrage, education, economic, etc) Iraq is very much ahead of the curve in the ME.
Is Iraq LA.? No, their per capita murder rate is too low. 12.0 to 12.6

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0004902.html

http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/murder.html

Iraq 12 per 100,000 according to interpol. Ranking #6, BTW.

This puts it behind Louisiana at 13.0 per 100,000.

http://www.benbest.com/lifeext/murder.html#usa

Same source.
So by your logic, should the USA withdraw it’s troops from Louisiana? I’m positive that the good citizens of La. would not mind that a bit. After all, Louisiana has been occupied for a LOT longer then Iraq. The Iraqi’s haven’t had time yet to really appreciate the horror, fear and loathing those words “We’re from the government and we’re here to help you” bring.
If the US government is feeling an itch to withdraw troops, may I suggest that Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, etc. are better places to start then Iraq.
Is it time to move from Red state/Blue state to Red Country / Blue country? Vermont and Montana think so.

Philadelphia’s murder rate is 25.6 per 100,000. Over twice that of Iraq.
The ongoing civil war here in the USA is MUCH more violent then the one just concluded in Iraq. It’s just not as spectacular. Kill 20 people with a car bomb or a suicide bomber and the MSM is all over it. kill 20 people one or two at a time with drive by shootings and it’s ignored. Those murdered are just as dead.