Iraq's top Shiite cleric quietly hints at harder views against US forces

AP News ^ | May 22, 2008 | HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA

[Captain Kirk]

Iraq's most influential Shiite cleric has been quietly issuing religious edicts declaring that armed resistance against U.S.-led foreign troops is permissible — a potentially significant shift by a key supporter of the Washington-backed government in Baghdad.

The edicts, or fatwas, by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani suggest he seeks to sharpen his long-held opposition to American troops and counter the populist appeal of his main rivals, firebrand Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army militia.

[EagleUSA]

The crazy Mullahs again raise their stick....they certainly do not want to give up their power over the mindless hoards of brainwashed Iraqis....to a democratic form of government. The Iraqi government should be forced to make up its mind about who is running Iraq. Why should Americans continue to die, and huge sums of money be spent, just to fund turf wars between the Mullahs and the government??

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Not good, because he has been quite moderate over the last few years. He has been especially harsh on Muqtada al-Sadr’s movement and promotes the legitimacy of the GOI.

[avacado]

"The edicts, or fatwas, by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani suggest he seeks to sharpen his long-held opposition to American troops..."

Errrr... something tells me that isn't correct. I don't remember Sistani being vocal about his opposition to the troops.

[SamuraiScot]

LSM-hoping-to-defeat-the-troops alert.

[MNJohnnie]

Cause the Iraqis are all ready handling these clowns as anyone who bothers to learn even the most basic facts about Iraq knows.

But that right, the Dinocons don't bother learning anything about Iraq. They wait for AP to tell them what to think. As usual then Dincons, and AP, are more impressed by the empty blustering of the Mullahs then the situation on the ground in Iraq.

Of course we no one else can teach the Dincons the facts on Iraq either since they are too busy still trying to win the political argument they lost in 2002 to learn even a one fact about Iraq

[vbmoneyspender]

Captain Kirk forgot to post this part - as well as to highlight the fact that the AP reporters who wrote this story are anything but objective -

So far, al-Sistani's fatwas have been limited to a handful of people. They also were issued verbally and in private — rather than a blanket proclamation to the general Shiite population — according to three prominent Shiite officials in regular contact with al-Sistani as well as two followers who received the edicts in Najaf.

[denydenydeny]

I call BS on this story until the sourcing gets better than fifth-hand hearsay accounts.

I would point out, however, that US forces no longer do any fighting against the Shiite militias, so this entire issue is moot. All of the fighting against Shiite forces is carried out 100% by the Iraqi army.

[LZ_Bayonet]

He doesn’t want our troops to stay longer than necessary (which is ok with us). IMHO - this could be an indication of an excellent development, i.e. “It’s all over but the shooting, so start thinking about packing your bags.”

[avacado]

Thanks, I should have read the whole thing. I remember Sistani as keeping the peace and in effect saving the lives of Americas by keeping the peace.

I think the AP is looking for a negative angle that isn’t there.

[Finalapproach29er]

George “Jimmy Carter” Bush.

Why do we tolerate this crap?

Either assert control over these mutts or let them fight each other.

Geez, this is stupid.

[SwatTeam]

I think I will take this article with a pound of salt. It
is from the AP, notorious for makeing up “news” and faking
pictures and check out the reporters. My BS meter is off
the charts.

[pierrem15]

If there is anything to this story, the “foreign” forces referred to are Iranian & Iranian backed- i.e., JAM.

[SolidWood]

Don't buy into this bullcrap article written by to terrorists HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA . They claim that Sistani is since long in opposition to the USA? Bullcrap. Sistani encouraged the majority Iraqi Shias to cooperate with us. He is a voice of (relative in Islam) reason and moderation. This article is agitation for the real troublemakers around Iran and Sadr.

[HardStarboard]

I'll believe this when I hear it from a U.S. military or administration source.

Look at the two writers on the by-line and the source, AP, and you know all you kneed to know about the credibility of this report.

My first suspicion is disinformation by a MSM desperate to find something wrong in Iraq.....perhaps to help out Obama!

[Finalapproach29er]

Thanks.

I guess it’s needs a barf alert.

[lormand]

"Captain Kirk forgot to post this part..."

I suspect that Captain Kirk did this intentionally.

If I remember correctly from the recent past, Captain Kirk is a Paulhriod, i.e., "surrender in Iraq" coalition.

[lormand]

"My first suspicion is disinformation by a MSM desperate to find something wrong in Iraq.....perhaps to help out Obama!"

Your second suspicion should be of the Freeper who posted it.

[Bahbah]

I have not found the reporting of our friends Hamza and Qassim to be very reliable in the past, so I would take this with a boulder sized grain of salt.

[StAthanasiustheGreat]

Very good point, the statement does run contrary to the impression I got when I was over there and from my reading of the Long War Journal and other sites since.