Iraqis Consult Clerics to Try to Salvage Constitution

Iraqis Consult Clerics to Try to Salvage Constitution
By Ghaith Abdul-Ahad

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - A delegation from Iraq's Governing Council met representatives of the country's leading Shi'ite cleric on Saturday to try to salvage a deal on an interim constitution crucial to U.S. plans to hand power back to Iraqis.

Governing Council members said they hoped to belatedly sign the constitution on Monday, but needed the approval of Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, a reclusive cleric who wields immense influence over the country's 60 percent Shi'ite majority.

Objections from the 73-year-old Sistani forced the last-minute cancellation of plans to sign the document on Friday, in a setback to the U.S.-led administration which wants to return sovereignty to an Iraqi government on June 30.

"I hope and I pray that we will be able to sign this historic document on Monday morning," Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, a leading Shi'ite member of the Governing Council, told reporters in the holy city of Najaf after a day of talks with clerics and Sistani's aides.

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040306/wl_nm/iraq_dc&cid=574&ncid=1480

Is that not the most wickedly ironic headline of the last few weeks? Kerry should use it in his ads.

Remember, its being promoted by the same Admin thats been SAVAGING OUR OWN CONSTITUTON! "They hate us for our freedom......"