Sistani Bows Out

03-Sept-06
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is angry and disappointed that Shias are ignoring his calls for calm and are switching their allegiance in their thousands to more militant groups which promise protection from Sunni violence and revenge for attacks:

I no longer have power to save Iraq from civil war... I will not be a political leader any more. I am only happy to receive questions about religious matters.

Al-Sistani's aides say that he has chosen to stay silent rather than suffer the ignominy of being ignored. Moqtada Al Sadr's stock has risen. A spokesman, Sheik Hussein al-Aboudi, says,

He meets his representatives every week or every day. Sistani only meets his representatives every month.

Muqtada al-Sadr asks them what the situation is on the street, are there any fights against the Shia, he is asking all the time. So the people become close to al-Sadr because he is closer to them than Sistani. Sistani is the ayatollah, he is very expert in Islam, but not as a politician.

Sistani's departure from Iraq's political scene and his return to his religious role signals an end to the Maliki regime's attempt to consolidate power and sell his reconciliation plan to the myriad of warring factions who are engaged in armed and deadly struggles against his regime, and against each other as well. It was Sistani who brought the thousands of his followers to the polls, forcing Bush to make good on his promise of early elections.