Thanks, Jedburgh--a useful piece. It is a shame it doesn't devote more explicit attention to this issue:
...which the author raises in the executive summary but doesn't really explore in the report. How much has Sistani's influence diminished? I've read a few items which suggest that he's been sulking because of his declining political weight, but it would be interesting to hear from someone who has looked at the issue from a closer perspective.Although Sistani is still a powerful figure within Iraq, his influence has diminished since the bombing of the Shi‘i shrine in Samarra in February 2006 and the ensuing increase in Sunni–Shi‘i violence.
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