Sistani urges Al Sadr to renounce all violence!

[KurtNilsen]

Radical Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr has turned down an appeal by Iraq (news - web sites)'s powerful Shi'ite Muslim establishment to renounce violence, an aide to a leading cleric said on Monday.


An aide to Mohammad Bahr al-Uloum, a member of the U.S.-installed Iraqi Governing Council, told Reuters Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, regarded as Iraq's most powerful cleric and a rival of Sadr's, supported the appeal.

<snip>

"We asked Moqtada (al-Sadr) to stop resorting to violence, occupying public buildings and other actions that make him an outlaw. He insists on staying on the same course that could destroy the nation."


He said Moqtada had refused to meet a tribal delegation and representatives of Bahr al-Uloum at the main mosque of Kufa, near the holy city of Najaf, where he is staging a sit-in with armed followers.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040405/wl_nm/iraq_moqtada_appeal_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480

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The good news is that Sistani seems to condemn Sadr's violence. The bad news is that Sadr doesn't seem care.

The key is how any potential US action against Sadr might affect the balance of power between Sistani and Sadr.

[Teaser]

1. This is the Hawza, not Sistani proper.

The Hawza is the shi'ah vatican. But unlike the Vatican, its pronouncements aren't binding on all shi'ah. Only those who follow the Hawza.

Sadr and his gang aren't members of the Hawza.

Sistani himself issued a statement urging calm, but saying that those rebelling are *right*.

Basically its an attempt by Sistani to play both sides of the fence. He doesn't want his country destroyed, but he knows that if he condemns Sadr too strongly he ends up looking like a US stooge.

[KurtNilsen]

3. Oops.... I guess a lot of people in Iraq has to walk a tight line at

the moment.

Did Sistani say those rebelling are right?

According to this piece, a formal statement from Sistani would be expected in a couple of days. Do you have a link?

[Teaser]

6. yep...

The Ayatollah has called on the Shia demonstrators to remain calm, to keep a cool head and allow the problem to be resolved through negotiation," the source said. "Ali Sistani also called on the demonstrators not to retaliate against the occupation forces in the event of an aggression . . ." Nevertheless, the revered cleric believes "the demonstrators’ demands are legitimate,"

http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en59954&F_catID=&f_type=source

[KurtNilsen]

14. You seem to know a lot about the Shia power structure.

Thanks for the information.

What do you make of Zarqawi's condemnation of the Shiites and Sistani?

[NMDemDist2]

2. that's good news (I guess) n/t

[Teaser]

4. Not really.

It shows how far from controlling the situation the Hawza is. If Juan Cole (http://www.juancole.com) is correct, Sadr can move about 1/3 of the shiite population. If he gets a 10th of that, the Hawza will have to follow along or they'll look like chumps.

[Mattforclark]

5. The bad news is that Sadr doesn't seem care

Exactly.

If Sistani's condemnation does not accomplish anything, it is worthless.

[Old and In the Way]

7. Is Sistani biding his time until after the 6/30 pullout date?

While I doubt anything really changes after 6/30, is there a political benefit for Sistani to tow the line of the CPA?

[Katarina]

8. Some more....

http://www.back-to-iraq.com/

Update 4:38AM

<snip>
Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has called for calm, but blames the violence on the Coalition troops.

An aide to Ayatollah Sistani said he considered the militiamen’s cause to be “legitimate” and condemned the “acts waged by the coalition forces.” But he added: “The ayatollah has called on the demonstrators to remain calm, to keep a cool head and allow the problem to be resolved through negotiation.”

Sistani is trying to stay on the fence. He doesn’t want to distance himself from a popular cause, but neither doe he want to become an outlaw himself. I’m working on getting the text of any statement he releases. It should be noted that Sadr is a rival of Sistani’s for leadership within the Shi’a community, and whether Sadr’s followers will listen to Sistani is an open question. So today’s violence also should be seen as part of a power struggle within the Shi’ite community.

[KurtNilsen]

13. Thanks... That seems to be based on the same story as the

one provided by teaser.

[FlemingsGhost]

9. Are Sadr and al-Sistani working in tandem?

Good cop, bad cop.

[KurtNilsen]

10. I have thought about that too.

[KurtNilsen]

11. In related news: Zarqawi condemns Sistani and the Shiites in new tape.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9204657%255E1702,00.html

[KurtNilsen]

12. And something else to ponder is Sadr's ties with the Iranian mullahs