Sistani seen as key to Iraq progress

[leftchick]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/8BB1441E-ECDB-4099-A9F0-BA923F74AD50.htm

The British and American foreign secretaries have ended two days of talks to press Iraqi leaders to form a government quickly with a veiled appeal to a Shia cleric for his help.


Jack Straw and Condoleezza Rice praised Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for his guidance - he is the spiritual leader of much of Iraq's Shia population.

<snip>

Although irritated by the lack of progress by politicians, Straw had nothing but praise for Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the spiritual leader for many of the country's majority Shias. He paid tribute to his help in building a new Iraq, and suggested that he could help break the political deadlock.

"Without the remarkable spiritual guidance shown by his eminence, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani, this country for all its problems it now faces would not have in its hands the potential for a better future," Straw said.

[Barrett808]

1. And he won't even read Bush's letters

A fine mess.

[cliss]

2. True. In fact, the Ayatollah

has always refused to meet with U.S. envoys. In spite of the fact that the US was probably lingering outside his door, bowing & scraping, pleading for an hour of his time.

Al-Sistani is running the show in Iraq, not the U.S. He has enormous influence and power. Whatever he says,the people do.

I'm sure the US has tried to bribe him, slip him a pile of cash. Nothing seems to work.

[leftchick]

3. no kidding

condi and straw sucking up to him and he ignores them and the little dictator too!

[leftchick]

4. from Asia Times online.....

The greatest unknown variable related to all these developments is the role of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the senior spiritual leader among Shi'ites. He recently manifested his displeasure toward the US administration's growing meddlesome attitude over political maneuvering among Iraqi groups by reportedly not even reading a letter that was sent to him by President Bush. According to some reports, the letter was not even translated for the ayatollah's reading, a measure that carries quite a bit of political and symbolic significance among Shi'ites. However, political observers claim that Sistani will opt for a unity government and will not object if (to be precise, when) the UIA finally dumps Jaafari.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/HD04Ak01.html

[bemildred]

5. I don't find his "explanation" very convincing.

This is still the status quo ante from what I can see, except that Rice & Straw showed up to try to get some movement. If I am not mistaken, the problem is Muqtada, who has bollixed up their plans.

[leftchick]

6. yes Muqtada is a huge issue

and he isn't going away.

[coolslasher]

7. sistani

i hear sistani is a nice guy