"And has been fighting the North, in one way or another, ever since."

In sense, sure. That's major part of wanting to fly the confederate flag.

"Also, the North's moral purpose, the abolition of slavery, was only sort-of achieved. The institution of slavery was no longer legally recognized, but blacks were kept in a form of servitude for over 100 years after. Who can say if this might have been avoided if moral purpose had been enforced by something other than the bayonet?"

Everyone knows that the North's reason was to preserve the Union, though many wanted to end slavery, it was simply a tactic used in the war, that also aligned with both these goals.

"The Civil War, a crusade and culture war in the most literal sense, scarred this entire nation. It may be an appropriate analogy for our future relationship with Iraq. We shall have to see."

I think it's most likely to be analogous to the earlier War of Independence.

"Again, I tell you, I know that armies spill blood, though I doubt that soldiers enlist with the thought that they are about to die. ..."

People who climb Everst don't think they are about to die, but they take a higher risk of death than enlisting in the miltary. Riding on the Shuttle was more dangerous than being a combat soldier invading Iraq. Or choosing to study volcanos is far more dangerous career, then deciding to work in the miltary. Or what about people who decide they want to drive a car, that lifelong decision could be more dangerous than enlisting for 4 years. Or smoking, or golf, or sky diving, or scuba diving, etc.