I think one of the most important unspoken truths of the present conflicts is that Washington has had an ally against Iran, Iraq, Syria and even the Soviet Union (back in the day) that they have not used. Obviously it's the Kurds. The U.S. could have been the champion of a United-Nations-backed movement for an independent Kurdistan (and still could be) and used that movement to its politcal advantage. However and as usual, the U.S. squandered its long-term interests on a knee jerk favoring of the Turkish military goon squad over the oppressed Kurds. There could have been a Kurdish front against most of the "axis of evil" (and still could be) if Washington was not so inclined to jump into bed with military strongmen like, of course, Sadam Hussein (back when that sick animal was our buddy).
I think it's not unreasonable to say that the U.S. owes and has owed the Iraqi people (including the Kurds) a war to topple the Hussein government. What we're doing now is like starving the residents of a house to get rid of the rats in it.