While I agree with your conclusions about the causes of the current situation in Iraq your assertion that it isn't an insurgency is incorrect. The definition of insurgency is the state or condition of being in revolt or insurrection. Regardless of the whether you regard the insurgency as justified or not its still an insurgency. Also Saddam didn't come to power in an insurgency - which implies some extended period of revolt. Saddam executed a palace coup against Bakr in 79 (he was the Deputy President at the time), Bakr came to power in a coup 11 years before that - they were not populist uprisings, but coups effected by soldiers and other government officials. If you are going argue over semantics you really ought get the semantics right, because your failure to properly define the words you are arguing about undermines you basic position that the Iraqi's are justly rebelling against their oppressors.