The last two Iraqi Religious Leaders, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali al-Husayni al-Sistani 92 to present, and Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Abul-Qassim al-Khoei 71 -92, were Iranian born and bred and of course Shiite. Iraq has stated repeatedly that they would not allow American Forces to attack Iran from Iraq.
The reason for the Iraqi Constitution mandating “NO LAW SHALL CONTRADICT ISLUM”, is Sistani. When we started allowing Sistani to dictate to US in Iraq, it was over. We were just doing the hard work for Iran.
Until we erase Bush’s stupid “Islam is a Religion of Peace” statement from our minds, our strategy will be flawed.
But I guess one can always hope.
Read what I said and quit trying to put words in my mouth.
I do not like strawman propaganda arguments.
[E.G. Religion of Peace BS.]
All religions have political influence.
Sistani is against the DIRECT rule of clergy.
Yes, he was born in Iran - yet Iranian Gov backed elements keep targeting him and his followers.
There is an ongoing fight to replace him with another Iranian from the Qom School.
The Qom School is the base of the current Iranian Government...
All religions are used as excuses for warfare.
All religions are political in practice.
[The corruption of power: What greater power can a man claim than to be God’s spokesman?]
Almost all religions claim to be about “peace” yet people still kill in their name.
People of the same religion still fight wars with each other for power. Shia has killed more Shia than any other group. The same can be said of most religions.
Islam is no more monolithic than Christianity.
The major split in Islam is Shia/Sunni.
Within those there are further splits into a multitude of sects.
Iran is ruled by Twelver Shia - which is a minority Shia Sect in Iraq.
Iran is allied with Syrian Government which is run by a Sect that the Twelvers called heritic until they became military allies.
There is more than just religion at play here and simplistic claims hide details.
Iraq has a very long border with Iran and no effective way to defend it. Appeasement is the Iraqi current rule of the day...