Grand Ayatollah Calls for Iraq Elections

[NNN0LHI]

Ruh roh!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031114/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_shiites&cid=540&ncid=1473

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqis are becoming suspicious of coalition forces because no elections have been held since the fall of Saddam Hussein, a senior Shiite Muslim cleric warned Friday.

Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Taqi al-Modaresi said the March invasion of Iraq was supposed to promote democracy. But "seven months have passed and there hasn't been one serious election," al-Modaresi said in a statement from his office in the southern holy city of Karbala.

Many Shiite clerics have been calling for nationwide elections to choose delegates to a convention to draft a new constitution. Iraq's majority Shiites are eager to wield power after years of oppression during the rule of former President Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Muslim.

U.S. officials have objected to such a vote for fear it would drag out the process of drawing up a constitution, in turn delaying the transfer of power to a democratic leadership — an urgent goal for Washington with coalition forces increasingly under attack.

"Coalition forces have chosen the Governing Council, distributed ministries the same wrong way and did not hold elections for the provincial councils. They (coalition forces) chose them randomly and for this reason many Iraqi are suspicious about the intentions of these forces," al-Modaresi said. snip

more

[keopeli]

1. You would think that, with Bush* getting good advice from...

Iraqi Ayatollas, Gen. Clark, Democratic hopefuls, France, Britain (secretively, I'm sure), Jordan, Syria, Iran, Russia, Germany, and the entire rest of the world, he would act on somebody's suggestion.

Oh, I forgot, he doesn't read the news.

[0007]

2. The window is offical shut!

junior blew it big time, let the games begin children.

All down hill now, 'eh, junior?

[dbt]

3. Isn't the next step from this a Fatwah?

:scared:
dbt

[NNN0LHI]

4. Not sure if Ayatollahs call Fatwas?

I think they just call outright holy wars? I may be wrong?

Don

[Aidoneus]

7. yes, wrong

it is entirely their position to make legal rulings.

In the Shia schools of law, only those of a certain--high--amount of accomplishment in studies on the laws and a just record in applying them is considered for the position of making independent legal rulings, called a mujtahid. A Grand Ayatallah (Ayatallah al-Uzma in Arabic) is the highest position a jurist can achieve, and some like Sayyid Ali Husayni al-Sistani are considered to be without superiors. I'm not familar with Ayatallah al-Uzma Mohammed Taqi al-Modaresi in particular, except what his position as Grand Ayatallah implies.

[Aidoneus]

8. found a bit on him

born in Karbala in 1945 to a distinguished family, high accomplishments of his own and other members of his living family are prominent as well. Had close ties to those around Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr and the Islamic revolution in Iraq and struggle against Hussein in the early years, emigrated to Iran after the Islamic Revolution there to continue the efforts against Hussein, he and his party (the Islamic Action Organization, loosely a part of the SCIRI umbrella revolutionary front) were active in the '91 intifada against Hussein's gov't.

He returned from his exile after the invasion began and was harassed and seized by the occupation forces in this attempt, which was followed by protests until his release. He is putting his life in danger with such pro-"independent democracy"/"military solution will make things worse" heresies, as those are contrary to the interests of the occupation forces. :eyes:

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~irdp/ref/ref04.html
http://www.almodarresi.com/english/biography.htm

the first link a rundown of the '91 uprising with several mentions of Modarresi, the second a somewhat useful bio as far as the basic facts are concerned (summarized above) if one can wade through all of the fawning.

[Aidoneus]

6. already done

Ayatallah al-Uzma al-Haj Sayyid Ali Husayni al-Sistani, the most respected and highest achieved of the Najafi mujtahids but notable (and disliked by some) for his passivity, already has a ruling out against the IGC as illegitimate and having no business legislating, that delegates of any constitutional convention must be elected by the people of Iraq, and that any interim government is only legitimate if elected by the Iraqi people. Thus, any puppet(s) appointed by the US satraps isn't worth the paper he blows his nose on in the eyes of one of the most powerful authorities in the region. On the side, he maintains that the occupation must not remain, but reacts with passivity towards it in the knowledge that in the event of any legitimate democratic process it'll be people like him advising power.

A few days ago the occupation forces almost shot a friend of his, Ayatallah Mohammed Bahr al-Uloom (who is on the puppet IGC, I believe son also runs the Oil Ministry).

[dbt]

10. Thank you, Aidoneus

I learn more every day on DU!

Cheers,
:hi:
dbt

[cliss]

13. Aidoneus, thanks

for the info. I'm an "information junkie" and I get my fixes right here at the DU. And it's the best, by the way.

I'm glad to read that Al-Sistani has denounced the IGC as illegitimate. This is also the reason why I believe the US will fail in its plans. They just don't seem to get it through their thick skulls that some people just don't want to be bought, even though the money is crudely dangled before them on a fishing line.

Apparently, Iraq has enough people like that to foil their ill-prepared schemes. And unlike the occupiers, the Iraqis appear to be very patient.

A deadly combination.

[Dirk39]

5. The Shiites are Bushs' biggest problem...

At least I guess,so. The majority of them wants an islamistic government just like in the Iran and they would get about 65% of the votes. This is the reason, they don't participate in the resistance against the Invasion. They're loyal untill now. But if it becomes clear to them that their god-state will not happen and they start to become an active part of the resistance, this whole mess would turn into a nightmare for the american troops.
Hello from Germany,
Dirk

[0007]

12. junior just loves the biggest of all Shiites

Ahmed Chalabi

An American-trained financier who has close ties to senior Pentagon officials and is a prominent member of the council, the U.S.-appointed interim government in Iraq.

[Alpharetta]

9. The myth of the Sunni triangle

Here's what I think:

RPG's are Sunni. Saddam gave them the weapons before the U.S. invasion. They want instability because they've got weapons and money and they think they can regain power if the U.S. withdraws.

Car bombs and roadside bombs are Shiite. They want instability to force an election because they know they've got more votes.

(This "assessment" is not meant to be a reflection of the religion. It is only my guess for what religion the factions profess.)

[tedzbear]

11. If Bush thinks things are getting difficult just wait...

...until the Shiites finally lose patience with his selfish agenda. Then the violence will explode.
Bring our men and women home NOW!

[leftchick]

14. this is why the farce of handing over the Administration of Iraq

to the IGC in June is just that. A FARCE!