[Terp]

Squatting on the floor of a tiny house on a back alley in Najaf, he said the al-Hawza would be prepared to surrender power to a government the people approve of, but hastened to add: "It must be a government that has been freely elected and is not under any foreign influence."

I dare say that if the shoe was on the other foot not many here would disagree with his statement.

[mac_truck]

"It must be a government that has been freely elected and is not under any foreign influence."

I wonder if this concept rules out the restoration of the Hashimite monarchy? That would be my number one preference.