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Iraq-Jordan
Sadr wants to hand over Najaf shrine to Sistani - aide
2004-08-21
A top aide to radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr said the rebel leader wanted to hand over the Imam Ali mosque to Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most influential Shi'ite cleric.
The other day he wanted the Pope to pop on by and negotiate peace. Just think of the hostage potential: "One wrong move and the Pope gets it!" Sistani's a second-best...
"We would like to hand over the shrine to the religious establishment which has the right to control it," Sheikh Ahmad al-Sheibani told reporters. "It is only natural that Ayatollah Sistani should accept it." Sheibani said no time had been set for a handover of the mosque, Iraq's holiest Shi'ite Muslim shrine.
"The Sweet By and By will do. Meanwhile, target practice at 08:00 hours tomorrow!"
He called on Iraq's interim government to pursue a peaceful solution to the crisis. "(Prime Minister Iyad) Allawi's government should give us what we want without a fight pursue a peaceful solution, not a military one for the benefit of the Americans," Sheibani said.
Posted by:tipper

#5  As OldSpook has mentioned here before, much of controlling the shrine pivots upon material gain and not religious piety. Here is a little gem I stumbled across today that sheds new light upon the matter.

Mr Sadr was asking for Ayatollah Sistani to send a delegation to take an inventory of precious items in the mosque, said the aide, Ali Baba Smeisim.

He said Mr Sadr wanted to make sure his men could not be accused of taking anything.

It is extremely difficult to imagine Sadr resisting temptation when it comes to jewelled or gilt offerings left at the shrine by pilgrims. Knowing the regional distaste for accurate paperwork and transparent accounting, one must speculate as to the phenomenal wealth contained in the shrine.

However obvious it is that they want to get Sistani inside their fire perimeter, this represents another significant high level issue that will need to be resolved. Let us all hope Sadr has succumbed to temptation so that his credibility will null out for once and all.
Posted by: Zenster   2004-08-21 11:45:17 PM  

#4  Reuters should adopt this old saying as their motto:

Never let the facts get in the way of a good story
Posted by: Bryan   2004-08-21 6:36:58 AM  

#3  bryan...right you are!
Posted by: B   2004-08-21 6:21:40 AM  

#2  Typical Reuters: always quote the underdog
(no matter how deranged they are) as if the words coming out of their mouths are gospel.

If I were editing this piece (what a fate) I would add a comma after 'one'. That would throw their spin right back at them by giving the sentence an unambiguous, pro-American meaning.
Posted by: Bryan   2004-08-21 6:09:05 AM  

#1  Allawi’s government should pursue a peaceful solution, not a military one for the benefit of the Americans," Sheibani [a Sadar aide] said.

It used to be only that we couldn't believe what Reuters was saying - with this piece, it looks as if their new policy is to assure that we can't understand what they are saying.

It's a good spin policy. Just print jibberish and then it can mean whatever your readers want it to.
Posted by: B   2004-08-21 5:55:17 AM  

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