[SolidWood]

Sistani is not stupid and knows exactly that now the likelihood of a premature withdrawal by the US has risen dramatically. There will be no one standing between the Sunni Insurgents and the Shias, and so he wants to ensure that the only force able to defend Shias (the Mahdi "Army"), with the same dirty methods as the Insurgents, is kept within the greater Shia coalition.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

---

The word "al-Taqiyya" literally means: "Concealing or disguising one's
beliefs, convictions, ideas, feelings, opinions, and/or strategies at a
time of eminent danger, whether now or later in time, to save oneself from
physical and/or mental injury." A one-word translation would be
"Dissimulation."

http://www.al-islam.org/ENCYCLOPEDIA/chapter6b/1.html

SISTANI -- APRIL, 2006:

"I will not be a political leader any more," he told aides. "I am only happy to receive questions about religious matters." snip

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/09/03/wirq03.xml

[McGavin999]

Ah, but you notice that nothing has really been said. There is no blessing, there is no participation in politics. The only comments are coming from people who are interpreting his words as they want them interpreted and his spokesman is merely clarifying that they aren't quite correct.

Facinating.