The desire to live a "normal" life is the longing of an Iraqi tribal leader quoted in the indispensable "Iraq the Model" blog. It is a sentiment reminiscent of the expressions one heard from Russians and other Eastern Europeans as the Gorbachev era matured and the Wall fell.
"Normal" means opposition to al-Qaeda by Sunni leaders, not support. A poll further shows that only four percent of ordinary Iraqi Sunnis want to see an Islamic state, so "normal" also means an end to sectarianism.
So who does support sectarianism? Iran and Syria is the answer. As the domestic political situation begins to swing against extremism by both Shia and Sunni, the terrorist cadre is shrinking to those fighters who are foreign-backed. Slowly news is filtering out about the Iranians' extensive role in and financial and military backing for Iraqi terrorists. They and the Syrians also are even suspected of aiding the insurgent Sunni. What Iran wants above all is to tie down the US as much as possible.
One would think that the US government would do what various critics have been urging for some time: match the aid and training Iran is giving Shia (and Sunnis) insurgents in Iraq with support for the budding insurgency against the mullahs in Iran.
What insurgency inside Iran? Stay tuned.