Article

2005-01-13 Iraq-Jordan

A REPRESENTATIVE of revered Iraqi Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been assassinated along with his son and four bodyguards. "Sheikh Mahmud al-Madahaini, his son and four bodyguards were assassinated as they left night prayers in Salman Pak," a Sunni Muslim majority town some 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Baghdad, an official in Sistani's office said said of the Wednesday night attack. Madahaini had been the target of several threats and attempted assassinations in the past, the official added. Salman Pak lies on the highway linking the capital with Kut, further to the southeast. It is a lawless area where armed men hijack trucks and carry out kidnappings. The killings come less than three weeks ahead of the first democratic elections in Iraq in half a century.

Posted by tipper 2005-01-13 9:24:41 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Article: A REPRESENTATIVE of revered Iraqi Shiite cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been assassinated along with his son and four bodyguards.

If Sistani couldn't protect his people from Sadr, he certainly can't protect them from Zarqawi. Sistani is the ultimate paper tiger - and yet the press repeatedly lionizes himself for the supposed calming effect he has on the Shiite population. The reality is that after decades of having the stuffing knocked out of them, the Shiites couldn't stand up and fight even if they wanted to. This is why the only reliable Iraqi troops are the Kurds, because the Shiites don't have it together, yet - to fight for either Sadr or Sistani.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-01-13 9:47:02 AM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-01-13 9:47:02 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 ..as they left night prayers in Salman Pak," a Sunni Muslim majority town some 20 kilometres (12 miles) southeast of Baghdad,..

"Surprise, surprise, surprise!!!"

-- Gomer Pyle, USMC

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-13 10:03:00 AM|| 2005-01-13 10:03:00 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 ZF - i dont think we want Sistani to have his own independent militia. Despite talk here about a group in Najaf, I think the US has discouraged that. We want Shiites to support the Iraqi Army/ING. Its hardly surprising that a few bodyguards cant stand up to a coordinated attack in the very violent area just south of Baghdad. My understanding is that the more effective ING and army units have NOT been exclusively Kurdish, but I have no cite for that. Do you have one to the effect that Shiite elements in the ING have been ineffective in recent months?

In any case Sistani is STILL important. Stalin may have asked how many divisions has the pope? The pope had no divisions, but mattered on the political scene. Ditto Sistani. He may command no divisions, but the Shia areas are quiet, we were able to beat the Mahdi army in Najaf without it spreading, even Sadr city has been quiet. The Shiites are eager to vote, and are supporting the elections. This has enabled us to concentrate forces in the Sunni triangle, even shifting UK forces from Basra. It is also providing us with our best political arguments on legitimacy.

Certainly Sistani has come through much more effectively than the Sunni Arabs have - even the "moderates" are boycotting the election, the tribal leaders have been ineffective in maintaining order, and some of the ex-generals taken into the army have supported the insurgents. Yet we continue to reach out to the Sunnis. While I understand why we do so, the forebearance of Sistani and the Shiites in the face of this is impressive.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2005-01-13 11:28:03 AM|| 2005-01-13 11:28:03 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 LH: ZF - i dont think we want Sistani to have his own independent militia. Despite talk here about a group in Najaf, I think the US has discouraged that. We want Shiites to support the Iraqi Army/ING.

Sistani's not our handpuppet. It's not up to us whether he sets up a private army. He runs many of the mosques that get a bunch of zakat from worshippers. If he hasn't set up an army yet, it's because he's a lousy leader. Between an ex-Baathist running the provisional government, Zarqawi's al Qaeda fighters, Saddam's Baathist remnants and Uncle Sam's proclivity to abandon its supporters (courtesy of American leftists, in and out of the government), Sistani would be crazy not to set up his own militia. My basic point is that the media doesn't know what it's talking about - not that that's anything new.

LH: Do you have one to the effect that Shiite elements in the ING have been ineffective in recent months?

Officers in the field have said that the Kurdish units are the only ones consistently standing and fighting.

Posted by Zhang Fei 2005-01-13 11:50:24 AM|| [http://timurileng.blogspot.com] 2005-01-13 11:50:24 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 If he hasn't set up an army yet, it's because he's a lousy leader.

Or maybe he DOESNT WANT to be that kind of leader. Everything Ive heard suggests he rejects that kind of role, out of fear it will bring the Shia Islamic clergy into disrepute, as it has in Iran. (I doubt hes read Toqueville, but he could have found the same ideas there) Let SCIRI and Dawa have their militias, but he dont want his own. And he may have confidence in the electoral process - if it goes at all fairly, his allies will have a dominant role in the next govt. Why undermine the govt and its army? In any case his allies have important positions NOW, and Allawi apparently consults with Sistani, or at least his reps. I dont buy the idea that Allawi is running the entire Iraqi govt for the Baathists and Sunnis, with the nefarious backing of the State Department and CIA. Yes, he LEANS that way, as do DOS and CIA, but the current govt in Iraq is a coalition.

Posted by Liberalhawk 2005-01-13 4:18:20 PM|| 2005-01-13 4:18:20 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 After Khomeini back in the '70's I never thought I'd say this about a Shia cleric, but I have a lot of respect for Sistani. He seems to be an astute politician, but more than that. In some ways his statements remind me of Mahatma Gandhi. He recognizes that Iraq's enemies want chaos and civil war, and is working to resist that. I believe it takes a lot of courage to take that course - it is easier to drive a suicide VBIED than to live knowing one has a 'bull's eye' on one's chest and ignore it.

Posted by Glenmore 2005-01-13 6:55:08 PM|| 2005-01-13 6:55:08 PM|| Front Page Top

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