The Fatwa will be used again and again among disputing tribes and as a guiding principal to deal also with the nonbeliever. It will be held up in all countries every time an act of terrorism occurs to make the creditable point that violent fundamentalism does not speak truth nor represent the sole of the people. Voices are gathering from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across the North African Continent to recapture the voice of non-violence into the mainstream of Islam.

The unsung hero who truly deserves a Nobel Piece Award is a tough, stand-up Anglican Bishop, Andrew White. White does not mince words. He gets down in the trenches with his bullet proof vest and works the streets committing his life to acts and deeds to bridge these chasms. Both Sunni and Shia take measure of Bishop White and respond to his message positively in signing the Fatwa.

One of the strongest arguments to not seek peace tribe-to-tribe was the lack of just such a spiritual directive. Anything seems reasonable in the prior state of spiritual chaos. New and unpredictable forces for peace are set in motion by the Fatwa.

Who among us would want Maliki’s job? It seemed until now like a fool’s errand. If he is the idiot you assess and allows Iraq to slip into the nuclear abyss of an Iranian alliance it will trigger an elevated threat perceived by Israel. Maliki would indeed then prove himself to be the idiot you assess him to be. Sectarian violence within Iraq, will pale in comparison to a region-wide war that a threatening alliance with Iran might precipitate from a threatened Israel. The Fatwa will help in some small measure to prevent such wider regional chaos.

On the other hand a time table for withdrawal has not yet been signed even as 2011 is a date put forward. Much can happen between now and then. The hope will be that before a sectarian slaughter ignites, that the voices of non-violence might become louder and stronger and integrated into the community with the support of its clerical leaders. It’s worth the try.

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day…so check back often….

For that, they are paid back by the majority Shi’ites with imprisonment, disarming, and being chased out of their homes and cities.

The question is not whether the ISF will be able to maintain security if AQ decides to return. The Sunnis will protect themselves. That part of the campaign is over. The question is whether Iraq will descend into sectarian bloodshed on a scale heretofore not seen. The question is not Sunnis v. AQ. That’s finished. The question now is whether the Shi’ites will make any attempt at all at reconciliation and living together in the same country.

If this happens (sectarian war), the U.S. will be powerless to stop it. Hence the question of whether Maliki is the biggest dolt on earth. I have always maintained that he is an idiot. He proves me right with every new day.

Contents:
1. Senior Iraqi Religious Leaders craft a joint Shia-Sunni Fatwa condemning violence

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III Beirut Meeting
We have just finished the main sessions of our meeting of Iraqi religious leaders in Beirut. As we have experienced in the past, the meeting was at times difficult. Present were the most senior Shia and Sunni Iraqi religious leaders. However, despite all the difficulties there was very real progress. It was wonderful that Bud McFarlane, the former US NSA, could join us. Bud has attended the last three conferences and is well known to the delegates. He has an extremely important role in these activities.
There were two very significant conclusions from the meetings. Firstly there was a serious acknowledgement that security is dramatically improving in Iraq. We acknowledge that the Multi National Forces in Iraq and the Iraqi security forces are responsible for this progress. The reality is things are changing for the better.
The second major development was that there was a very serious rejection of violence and of suicide bombings. There was also the acknowledgement that the main reason for this violence and terrorism is religious sectarianism. This can be seen in the declaration and Fatwa below.
As the previous meetings have shown, the FRRME must remain dedicated to working with the religious leaders to ensure that follow up of the declaration is a reality. It would be wonderful if the Iraqi component of the follow up was dealt with by the religious leaders alone but we must keep working with them and enable them to see this through. The follow up will be threefold, requiring the religious leaders to engage with:
1 The Iraqi Masses, especially through the religious
2 The Iraqi Government
3 The Coalition countries, especially the USA.
Whilst it is intended that the next meeting will happen in November in Beirut it is very much hoped that we will then be able to take the delegation to the USA. For the first time all the delegates have agreed to this.
Beirut Religious Declaration
In the name of Allah the most merciful.
A group of Iraqi Shia and Sunni Islamic scholars have gathered in Beirut from the 22nd to the 24th of August 2008 under the auspices of the FRRME. Through dialogue they have discussed what should be done following the considerable security improvements in Iraq. There is great urgency to meet the needs of the Iraqi people who have suffered from injustice, sectarianism, violence, the destruction of infrastructure and the squandering of the fortune of Iraq. They have reached the following recommendations:
1. The violence is coming from extremism without any religious or moral foundation and this contravenes humanitarian principles and targets innocent people. We strongly condemn and denounce all terrorist activities and suicide bombings. The non violent resistance which is aiming to liberate Iraq is a legitimate right by international standards and the heavenly faith.
2. We encourage the continuity of this dialogue and the serious cooperation between the leaders of Iraq to create solutions to be the foundations for the building of the state where security and justice can prevail between the people.
3. We denounce and condemn all foreign interference in Iraq in every way. This interference is the main cause of the violence and the sectarian divide and is preventing the establishment of the Rule of Law in the state of Iraq.
4. We seek to prevent Iraq from being a theatre for sectarian conflict.
5. We encourage the investment in security improvements and want to see the Iraqi community prevented from becoming militant. We will continue to work very hard to develop democracy and activate the role of NGO’s in civil society to enhance the building of the state and its institutions.
6. We see that as a priority we need to enable the return of all displaced and emigrated persons to their homes and encourage qualified Iraqi people to go back to Iraq assuring them of their civilian rights and we desire that they return back their estate and employment.
7. We urgently require investigation of the cases of those in prison in Iraq particularly those in prisons controlled by the Coalition.
Sheikh Ahmed Al Kubasi Senior Sunni leader
Sheikh Abdul Latif Humayem Senior Sunni leader
Ayatollah Abu Rageef Senior Shia leader based in Najaf
Sheik Zuhari Senior Shia leader who is the chief religious advisor to the Prime Minister
Organised by Canon Andrew PB White and the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East
The Joint Sunni Shia Fatwa against all violence
In the Islamic religion, it is knowledge that our merciful God has deigned Adam’s son more than other creations: See the Holy Qur’an God says, 70, Alisraa book.
It is knowledge that everybody in Islam more than the other religions. It is totally prohibited from harming the spirit of all human beings: God says in the Holy Qur’an, 32, the table book.
One of the speeches of the Prophet Mohammed prohibits the spilling of Muslim blood on a Muslim himself, and his family, thus suicide bombings are totally prohibited.
Therefore religious and ethical duty calls us as Shia and Sunni religious leaders to announce that all killing must be stopped now, whatever the reasons and the cause and the motives between Muslims. And we must start the reconciliation and tolerance and make them the only way to solve the conflicts between the brothers in the country, as seen in the Holy Qur’an God says,9,Alhujarat book the ethical and religious duty is to call all Muslims in our country to take Al Sharia as a refuge to solve all the conflicts, and its invitation to all our people at this difficult time and after this hard experience to reject and forsake all violence, killing and provocation. We invite people of violence to come on side to support reconciliation and tolerance: God says from the Holy Quraan,65,the women book.
Achieving peace, living together, under the rule of law is the demand on all the Iraqi people and it is the religious and ethical duty of everybody to abandon all violence.
This is our Fatwa to all the Iraqi people and all Muslims. From our God we are told, and so have delivered this message, may our God be the witness on us.
The Shia and Sunni Religious Leaders

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A personal right to bear arms in Iraq will have little impact on the arms the people actually hold. Each man, right or wrong, decides for himself whether his right to protect his life and his family is derived as a god given right or a privilege extended by the state. We in the US by a significant margin believe it to be the former.

The larger issue for the US is not the Awakening but how to measure success in general for the treasure we have expended and will expend in this noble undertaking? Our responses will depend on two likely inputs: (a) General Petraeus’s advice (b) To whom the advice is given.

At the moment, everything we see and hear is geared the US election. This entire subject of the Awakening will be timelier to consider after the election is held.