Reply #7: To put it this way:

[Frederik]

Do you think the neo-cons want a strong, stable, Shia-dominated Iraq aligned with Iran? Don't they also need a pretext to maintain the military presence in the country for many years to come? They have built 14 permanent bases after all. They didn't do that just to leave in 2006.

That being said , who knows s she is right in her speculations. I do agree on this: I don't think all the "suicide bombers" are really suicide bombers. The military spins it that way to paint the insurgents as religious fanatics.