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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Ayatollah al-Sistani Gives Govt. Conditional Approval | |
| 2004-06-03 | |
| Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's most influential Muslim cleric, gave his conditional approval to Iraq's new interim government Thursday but said it had "mammoth tasks" ahead. Sistani said the government, chosen by the United Nations, the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council and U.S. officials, lacked "electoral legitimacy" but said it was a step in the right direction and would succeed if specific goals were met. "The hope is that this government will prove its worthiness and integrity and its firm readiness to perform the mammoth tasks it is burdened with," the Shi'ite cleric said in a partly hand-written statement issued by his office in the holy city of Najaf and stamped with his official seal. Sistani, who holds huge sway over Iraq's 60 percent Shi'ite majority, listed four key tasks that the government had to tackle -- security, basic services for all, a new U.N. resolution granting Iraq full sovereignty and the organizing of free and fair elections early next year. "The new government will not have popular acceptance unless it proves through practical and clear steps that it seeks diligently and seriously to achieve these tasks," Sistani said. He said the government would also be judged on how successful it was at alleviating the impact of 15 months of occupation. Another influential Shi'ite cleric, Ayatollah Mohammed Taqi al-Muddaresi, complained that Islamists were not sufficiently represented in the new government, which he said did not show goodwill on the part of the U.S.-led occupation. He called the new government a step toward sovereignty but urged Iraqis to use all peaceful means to ensure their voices are heard in the future of the country. The government was sworn in Tuesday with Iyad Allawi, a secular Shi'ite and former CIA-backed opposition leader in exile, as its prime minister and Ghazi al-Yawar, a Sunni tribal leader and former executive in Saudi Arabia, as its president. The posts were chosen after weeks of debate and discussion led by U.N. special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in coordination with the now dissolved Governing Council and U.S. officials, particularly Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator of Iraq. "The situation that has arisen has resulted in the formation of a new government without electoral legitimacy in addition to the fact that not all segments of Iraqi society and its political forces are represented in an appropriate manner," Sistani said, adding that he hoped elections would be held by the deadline of January 2005. The government held its first cabinet meeting Wednesday, but the planned handover to an interim Iraqi government will not take place until June 30. Even then, 150,000 U.S.-led troops will continue to be in charge of security in Iraq.
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| Posted by:Steve |
| #9 Al-Sistani, the Iranian, (born there) is waiting for one-time elections, so that he can impose a clerical tyranny. He should be killed before he gets power. |
| Posted by: Dog Bites Trolls 2004-06-03 9:16:06 PM |
| #8 He is craven muqtys dad spoke out openly against Saddam. Muqtys dad got killed by Saddam. Al Khoie was more openly supportive of the coalition than Sistani. Muqty killed al Khoei. Sistani is cautious and craven. Sistani lives. Darwinism at work, I think. Its not clear if Sistani wants demo only for now or not. Its said he doent like the Iranian system, it drags the clerics into the muck of politics. Has he really read de Toqueville? Or is it just he sees hes not strong enough now, and wants to wait for a more opportune moment. Certainly possible. I tend to hope that by that point it will be to late - there will be some degree of institutionalization of democracy. Thanks to (choke) Brahimi, most of the junior cabinet ministers in the new govt are secularists, as is Allawi. An alliance of secular Sunni and Shiite Arabs with Kurds, will be hard for the Shiite fundies to push out - unless they have the support of the Sunni fundies. Doesnt look like Sistani is making a big push for those - a good sign. Youre right that we should be wary of Sistani, and watch him closely. Still, when he questions the demo legitimacy, hes not completely on the wrong track. Im not saying the new govt isnt legitimate - im agreeing that it will be more so with an election, and that does need to be one of its primary goals, along with security. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-06-03 4:51:21 PM |
| #7 Scrappleface is saying he also ok'd the ABC fall line-up. Thank Bog! |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-06-03 1:49:55 PM |
| #6 DPA - Ok... He only "supports" (how lukewarm can one be and still be described as a supporter?) democracy because he sees the advantage in doing so - now. He has been consistently AWOL in almost every case where he could have influenced events toward peaceful resolution. He can, through his spokesmen, claim he wishes to stay out of politics, but he certainly dabbles when it suits him. He is craven and crass in his choices and has allowed his followers to suffer by not supporting the inevitable. Not inciting his followers is not good enough. I figure he's about as calculating and cynical as it gets so I guess you could say I'm not a fan. Just my opinion. :-) |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-03 12:14:16 PM |
| #5 .com, "A Shi'a "cleric" from Mars critiquing democratic legitimacy" Actually I think it's a really positive sign that he's calling for democracy. Him speaking this way, even though to us it sounds slighly ridiculous, is pushing Iraq down the right path. If he wasn't pushing for democracy it would be a big blow against us. That all being said I'm still undecided on Sistani... not sure what his motives are yet. |
| Posted by: Damn_Proud_American 2004-06-03 11:56:52 AM |
| #4 Sistani wants an Iraq in which the Shiite majority holds a proportionate share of power - he KNOWS that the Sunni Arab minority, with its friends in Jordan and Saudi Arabia dont want that. Ergo he NEEDS UN support, despite the fact that he and his fellow Shiites dislike the UN, to help win legitimacy with Sunni Arabs both inside and outside Iraq. The alternative, declaring it and defending it with only US help, is a formula for civil war, unless the US can use its force to restrain all of Iraqs Sunni neighbors, which it is by no means clear the US is able and/or willing to do. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-06-03 11:54:10 AM |
| #3 Sistani, who holds huge sway over Iraq's 60 percent Shi'ite majority, listed four key tasks that the government had to tackle -- security, basic services for all, a new U.N. resolution granting Iraq full sovereignty and the organizing of free and fair elections early next year. The UN grants sovereignty? Bullshit! You declare and defend it for yourself (with our help). |
| Posted by: spiffo 2004-06-03 11:31:10 AM |
| #2 lacked "electoral legitimacy" Lol! I just love this shit. A Shi'a "cleric" from Mars critiquing democratic legitimacy, the Arab League criticizing Abu Ghraib - and everything else, Mullet Omar trying to rescue the Taliban's good name, anyone at the UN moving his / her lips, Pelosi & AlGore questioning the competence of anyone - anyone at all, Kerry trying to convince Americans that he's worthy of being elected to public office - any office, George Soros breathing, global warming disaster movies in the current ice age, etc. There is no end to the buffoonery and pretentious silliness. Too funny. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-06-03 10:36:52 AM |
| #1 To all those who asserted that the June 30 transition would not occur as scheduled: Ayatollah you so! |
| Posted by: Mike 2004-06-03 9:57:38 AM |