The most venerated Shia cleric in Iraq made a sudden intervention in the Najaf crisis yesterday by returning to the country and calling on his supporters to march to the embattled holy city.
American Rear Admiral Greg Slavonic, asked if the US military would suspend operations following Ayatollah Sistani's return, said: "The Iraqi leadership is leading this effort. We will follow whatever course of action the Iraqi leadership decides."
Some 500 Iraqi troops and 2,000 US marines have been deployed to the area around the shrine.
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~True believers versus shock and awe troops of the new world order? (Now there's a story we all understand.)
Will "Operation Enduring Freedom" ultimately be co-opted by non-violent resistance based on the practices of Gandi and Martin Luther King?
Can America's media report on non-violent demonstrations in Iraq? Are periodic reports of Iraqi violence necessary to justify military operations?
How long will the media allow the US Military to define the enemies of Iraq?