I have posted about this before, but it is probably worth keeping the discussion active--

You are exactly right when you point out that the media ignored kidnappings until Americans and their allies began to be targets. This was a particularly significant omission because if there had been coverage of it, it would not have come as a big surprise when the Westerners began to be kidnapped.

If the stories had made it into the Western press, people would also understand better why the kidnappings are taking place--which is simply for randsom money that, presumably, is used to fund the insurgent operations. They would also understand why on hostage out of a group is killed and a few days later, the rest of the hostages are, without explanation, released--

For a first had account of what the Iraqis have been experiencing, check this out this blog from a young Iraqi woman:
Baghdad Burning Go down the page about half way, to "Family Crisis"