Muqtada al-Sadr studying to become an ayatollah

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iDB4YfN-9b8bkRZH5OqGLAflDhMAD8TGQGA81

Iraq's Maverick Cleric Hits the Books

By HAMZA HENDAWI and QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA – 6 hours ago

BAGHDAD (AP) — The leader of Iraq's biggest Shiite militia movement has quietly resumed seminary studies toward attaining the title of ayatollah — a goal that could make firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and his Mahdi Army an even more formidable power broker in Iraq.

Al-Sadr's objectives — described to The Associated Press by close aides — are part of increasingly bitter Shiite-on-Shiite battles for control of Iraq's southern oil fields, the lucrative pilgrim trade to Shiite holy cities and the nation's strategic Persian Gulf outlet.

The endgame among Iraq's majority Shiites also means long-term influence over Iraqi political and financial affairs as the Pentagon and its allies look to scale down their military presence in the coming year.

Al-Sadr's backers remain main players in the showdowns across the region, where fears of even more bloodshed are rising following Wednesday's triple car bombing in one of the area's main urban hubs. At least 25 people were killed and scores wounded.

[Swamp Rat]

1. He'd fit in just fine at Liberty or Regent Universities

[Wiley50]

2. Wonder if that position comes with Paid Dental coverage

Man! A whole Platoon of Dentists could work a career getting that mouth back together.

[Wiley50]

4. See What I Mean?

[NNN0LHI]

5. Now thats a face only a mother could love n/t

[TwilightGardener]

3. Through Phoenix University's two-year online Ayatollah degree program?

I hear it's accredited now.