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Iraq
Major role for clerics urged
2003-04-29
Several thousand Shi'ite Muslims rallied in the Iraqi capital yesterday demanding a role for their clerics in running a post-Saddam Iraq.
Ummm... Lemme think. No.
"We want a new national conference" on Iraq's political future, chanted the protesters led by dozens of religious leaders from the powerful Hawza Shi'ite school in the holy city of Najaf. "Yes, Yes, Islam. No, No, America," they shouted as they marched from Al Andalus Square to Al Fardus Square where Saddam Hussein's huge statue was toppled on April 9 in the most indelible symbol of the end of the regime.
March and be damned!
The show of strength came as the retired US general running the country, Jay Garner, convened a meeting of as many as 400 Iraqis of all political stripes to plot out the post-Saddam future. The Iran-based Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, the main Shi'ite Muslim movement that opposed Saddam from a very safe distance, said yesterday it would not take part in any US-led meetings on the country's political future. Spokesman Hamed Al Bayati told Al Jazeera television that Garner "is responsible for Iraq's reconstruction and humanitarian affairs and we plan to co-operate with him only in this domain. "Political arrangements are the jurisdiction of only holy men Iraqis."
Then stay the hell out of politix for good...
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#2  If we get numbers that good now, when all the electricity's not yet back on and there's no civil administration in place, they're gonna love us six months from now.

If the figs can be trusted...
Posted by: Fred   2003-04-29 13:00:17  

#1  First Iraqi opinion poll, by NDTV (New Delhi TV?) froma India Express, via Andrew Sullivan.

"Was the US war to remove Saddam correct?
• RIGHT: 54
• WRONG: 32

Should US troops stay on to rebuild Iraq
• GO BACK: 52
• STAY ON: 43"

Summary
32% would have preferred we not invade (either pro-Saddam or the Salaam Pax position - against both Saddam and invasion)
43% are glad we invaded and want us to stay
19 to 25% are glad we invaded, but want us to leave now.
32% sounds like the Sunni Arabs, plus a small minority of Shiites.
43% are the Kurds and about a third of Shia.
19-25% is the rest of the Shiites.

Likely that these numbers could shift in favor of US presence, if living conditions improve, and as we make clear shift to Iraqi governance.
Or could get worse if there are too many occupation incidents, or we mishandle political process.

Posted by: liberalhawk   2003-04-29 12:10:29  

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