[xm177e2]

This article was on the front page of the NYT:

The Shiite leaders say there is a similar but less formal agreement that clerics will also be excluded from running the government ministries. "There will be no turbans in the government," said Adnan Ali, a senior leader of the Dawa Party, one of the largest Shiite parties. "Everyone agrees on that."

Anti-Iraq leftists and paleocons are trying to spin the election results as a defeat for Bush, that is the trendy new thing to do. In fact, the leaders of the main Shi'ite coalition said they intended for secular rule. Their slogan is:

There will be no turbans [clerics] in the government

I won't believe that the new Shi'ite rulers of Iraq are going to create a theocracy until I see it. Until then, I'll take them at their word.

[geopyg]

"There will be no turbans in the government,"

I was "discussing" this with someone from my church at a party when he said "Now Bush just got us another ayatollah in Iraq".

I explained to the guy that Sistani is a religious leader, but is also into separation of the church and state. But, the new constitution will be put together in view of their faith - but not under "sharia law" (sp?). I said: much like our founder fathers - they want to base the rules of their country on the rules of their faith. And I think (hope) that because the various factions have to ratify the constitution, it will need to be a fair contract. It may not be easy - just like our Constitution wasn't easy with all of the various states, etc. (Wasn't it Thomas Paine who refused to go to the continental congress saying "I smell a rat"?)