Government should be the only party with weapons, says Sistani

[jmc247]

Source: Azzaman

Grand Aytollah Ali Sistani has forbidden the killing of Muslims in Iraq and has urged the government to disarm all militia groups in the country.

Sistani, Iraq’s top Shiite cleric, made the call in a meeting which grouped both Muslim Shiite and Sunni clergy from the provinces of Baghdad, Basra, Diyala, Tikreet, Ramadi, Kirkuk and the Kurdish region. The visit was to explore ways of ending the current sectarian strife in the country and methods to bring about national reconciliation.

“We have come to visit (Sistani) to back the project of national reconciliation … Sistani has forbidden the shedding of blood of all Muslims and reiterated the necessity of the state being the sole possessor of arms in Iraq,” said Sheikh Mohammed Talabani, a Sunni cleric and head of the delegation.

Ali Khafaji, another cleric in the delegation, said the visit was to demonstrate to the Iraqi people that both Shiite and Sunni clergy were against the shedding of Muslim blood. “The visit was to spread the spirit of love among the sons of one nation and put an end to discord and confront those sowing it,” he said.

Read more: http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news\2007-04-19\kurd.htm

[saltpoint]

1. Well, good luck on that project, buddy.

I have a sneaking hunch that the Grand Ayatollah's project is going to be a tough sell to the various militias.

[Fresh_Start]

3. sistani according to Americans the way to solve the problem

is arm everyone.

[saltpoint]

More arms! More violence! Surge the troop count! Shock and Awe!

Bring it On!

Hells bells. We haven't done anything right over there. I don't know how Sistani expects to curtail weaponry at this point.

[XemaSab]

2. We are SO SCREWED!!!!!

If the Sunnis and the Shiites actually stop shedding Muslim blood for 5 minutes, they will hand us our asses handily.

That is all.

[Buzz Clik]

5. That's "SCREWN"

moran. :eyes:

[slackmaster]

6. I thought it was "SCROD"

[Buzz Clik]

7. That would be Old English Meathead past tense of "screw".

Modern American Knuckledragger goes like this: screw, screwin', screwn.

[XemaSab]

13. We are truly SWYVEDE!

:o

[XemaSab]

12. I've been outed!

We FReepers have no sense of irony. :(

I will slither back there now. :(

I am a HUGH MORAN. :(

Series. :(


(Edit: I'm not really a FReeper, just a wiseass. Better recognize. :P )

[jmc247]

4. This contridicts the US policy in Iraq

The US policy is to allow every man, woman, and child to have an AK-47

[guruoo]

8. And it looks like we're going to need them....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x695912#701880

[LiberalFighter]

10. The NRA needs to expand the market for their firearms

If he can convince all non-military inhabitants in Iraq to give up their firearms then there would be no need for the law enforcement to have firearms.

[LiberalFighter]

11. They would need them to protect themselves from outsiders of course.

Like the USA

[Roy]

9. Oh yea, and just what does the INRA (Iraqi NRA) think?

[damntexdem]

14. Uh oh, now he's really made enemies:

the NRA. ;-)

[Fiendish Thingy]

15. Call me Pollyanna, but this gesture by Sistani could be a positive thing...

unrealistic, perhaps, unlikely to be acheived, but still, a gathering of clerics from all sects, and a pronouncement (was it officially a "fatwa"?) to stop shedding muslim blood is a good message, don't you think? If this gets any ink at all in the MSM, it can only further spotlight the necessity to end this occupation now.