Ayatollah issues fatwa supporting coalition

[Fritz]

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,83046,00.html

"Brooks said that Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, a Shiite leader who had been under house arrest in Iraq, had issued a religious ruling called a fatwa urging Iraqis not to interfere with coalition troops and to remain calm."

"Al-Sistani is considered by many Shiites as grand ayatollah, or supreme spiritual leader. He has millions of followers inside and outside Iraq."

How does something like this play in the Islamic world?

[CamEdwards]

I'm guessing that it won't make a lick of difference to most people.

[mrskippy]

Iraq's own Muslim clerics are going to issue edicts supporting Coalition and asking Iraqi people to do the same.

I'm sure someone is hoping Iraqi's start pointing as to Saddam's whereabouts in Baghdad.

[JPhillips]

This may play well to the Shia, but my understanding is that the Shia are primarily located in Southern Iraq and throughout Iran. The majority of the Islamic world is Sunni, and will probably not pay much attention to a Shia declaration.

The Shia in Iraq are hoping to take power in Iraq after Saddam is gone. They have lived under repressive Sunni rule and would love nothing more than to create a Shia dominated state. Our problem is that the leadership of the Shia are closely tied to Iran, and we aren't thrilled about having Iraq turn into a close ally of Iran.