WILL SHIITE CHURCHMAN OPPOSE SURGE? — Aside from Democratic opposition at home, President Bush’s troop increase for Baghdad is “greatly vulnerable” to rejection by a powerful figure in Iraq itself — the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, whose charisma and towering influence over the majority of Shiite Muslims remains as undisputable as ever. A well-informed Western source in Iraq says the chances are that the aged, reclusive cleric could come out against the surge unless the Bush administration has privately prepared the ground with him in advance, which doesn’t seem to have happened. He is said to feel that the military […]
Keep reading for free right now!
Enter your email to get instant access to the rest of this article, get five free articles every 30 days, and to receive our free email newsletter:
Or, Subscribe now to get full access.
Already a subscriber? Log in here .
What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:
A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having your own personal researcher and analyst for news and events around the globe. Become a member now, and you’ll get:
- Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of 15,000+ articles
- Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday
- Daily links to must-read news, analysis, and opinion from top sources around the globe, curated by our keen-eyed team of editors
- Weekly in-depth reports, including features on important countries and issues.
- Your choice of weekly region-specific newsletters, delivered to your inbox.
- Smartphone- and tablet-friendly website.
- Completely ad-free reading.
And all of this is available to you — right now for just $1 for the first 30 days.