Crooks and Liars has a videoclip of journalist David Ignatius saying back in July that if al-Sistani gives up, then "this effort is over"--presumably he means the US's efforts to create a functional government and avert civil war.

It is a devastating blow to the remaining hopes for a peaceful solution in Iraq and spells trouble for British forces, who are based in and around the Shia stronghold of Basra.

Perhaps it is time to face the awful truth: Arabs, for whatever reason, seem incapable en masse of creating a modern society and they have to be managed like Sadam did or through some theocratic hocus pocus.

Increasingly it appears that as a group they have low EQ and general self control (why else cover up their woman).

Don't feed the troll.