[green iguana]

al-Sumaydai reminded Shiites that Sunni groups had spoken up in August when U.S. and Iraqi forces massed outside a shrine in a standoff with insurgents in Najaf, the southern Shiite holy city.

"We reproach Sistani for not officially taking a position on the offensive, and we call on him to do so."

I'm not sure this guy would like Sistani's official position. After the January elections (which will happen), the vast majority of the Iraqi government will be made up of Shiites and Kurds, who represent 75% of the population of Iraq. Maybe a little more now...

With the Kurdish militias joining the Iraqi army and heavy recruiting/training among the Shiites, the Iraqi army should be able to handle any remaining insurgents with minimal help from us within a year. IMHO.

[goldstategop]

80% of Iraq's population is Shiite and Kurdish. And they're not interested in power-sharing with their former opppressors, Iraq's once-privileged Sunni Arabs.