Kidnapping is not a tradition in Iraq. Omar blames former members of the regime.
I know the situation looks really bleak in Iraq, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling that what's going on is a forced (by the US military) last stand by those who would oppose the transition to a normal, free society. I'm more than willing to accept that this may just be wishful thinking. We'll see.
I also liked this article, which argues that there are basically no appropriate historical analogies for the current situation.
