Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani quits politics: He "no longer has power to save Iraq from civil war"

ASIA TIMES: Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, the definitive presence of traditional Shi'ite Islam, has warned that he "no longer has power to save Iraq from civil war", and has withdrawn from politics (see Iraq loses its voice of reason, Asia Times Online, September 6). Ayatollah al-Sistani and the end of Islam by Spengler

ASIA TIMES: DAMASCUS - The saddest news coming from Iraq is the decision of the Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani to cease all political activity and restrict himself to his religious duties in Shi'ite Islam. He said this weekend: "I will not be a political leader anymore. I am only happy to receive questions about religious matters." Iraq loses its voice of reason by Sami Moubayed

Mark Alexander