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| Iraq | |
| Iraqi city poised to become hub of Shiite power | |
| 2007-12-16 | |
That shift would further weaken the Iraqi central government and complete Najaf's transformation from a dusty, conservative town known mostly for its golden-domed shrine and soaring minarets into the undisputed center of a potentially semiautonomous Shiite region, with some of the country's richest oil reserves. And although Najafis will say little about it, Iran is playing a significant role in the plan, helping to improve the city and its holy sites, especially the golden- domed shrine to Imam Ali, the figure most associated with the founding of the Shiite sect, who is said to be buried here. Money from Iran is financing some of the shrine expansion projects as well as contributing to the construction of a major electrical power-generating plant whose output will be shared between Najaf Province and its neighbor, Karbala, which is also the home of two important Shiite shrines. "What we have tried to do is put in place a plan to allow Najaf to recover its political and strategic position in Iraq and the region, the Asharq al-Awsat, Iran and the Middle East," said Abdul Hussain Abtan, the deputy chairman of Najaf's Provincial Council, referring to the city's role historically as a center of pilgrimage and Shiite learning. "We have made contacts with countries which have large Shia communities, Iran and Bahrain, to encourage them to send their visitors here," he said. American officials say they want Iraq to remain united, but they are not averse to the formation of semiautonomous regions as long as Iraqis abide by the Constitution, which requires a referendum before a province joins a regional bloc. Increasingly, officials have come to understand the provinces' difficulties in getting the central government to deliver services and money for local projects. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |