Submit your comments on this article | |||
Iraq | |||
Ayatollah al-Sistani Fatwahs For Iraq Jihad? Prob'ly not. | |||
2008-05-24 | |||
BAGHDAD (AP) — 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. Most Iraqi Parliamentarians are empowered by al-Sistani's support. What if he orders them to support jihad against US soldiers?
But — unlike al-Sadr's anti-American broadsides — the Iranian-born al-Sistani has displayed extreme caution with anything that could imperil the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. The two met Thursday at the elderly cleric's base in the city of Najaf south of Baghdad. 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. All spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.
For American officials, he represents a key stabilizing force in Iraq for refusing to support a full-scale Shiite uprising against U.S.-led forces or Sunnis — especially at the height of sectarian bloodletting after an important Shiite shrine was bombed in 2006. It is impossible to determine whether those who received the edicts acted on them. Most attacks — except some by al-Qaida in Iraq — are carried out without claims of responsibility. It is also unknown whether al-Sistani intended the fatwas to inspire violence or simply as theological opinions on foreign occupiers. Al-Sadr — who has a much lower clerical rank than al-Sistani — recently has threatened "open war" on U.S.-led forces... | |||
Posted by:McZoid |
#5 AP becoming a propaganda mouthpiece due to its reporters' bias (they beleive anythign anti-US), and cowrdcie (They refuse to get out there like Michal Yon or Totten, replying on "stringers" instead). |
Posted by: OldSpook 2008-05-24 10:29 |
#4 Maybe Sisanti should issue a Fatwa against journalists that lie and try to create civil war. |
Posted by: rjschwarz 2008-05-24 09:55 |
#3 We bad! :-) |
Posted by: gorb 2008-05-24 02:48 |
#2 Origin: AP stringers Status: Busted! |
Posted by: Spike Uniter 2008-05-24 01:32 |
#1 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. Grounds for potential BS alert? Sounds like three prominent Shiite officials and two followers might be angling for greater political power. |
Posted by: gorb 2008-05-24 01:12 |