Juan Cole/Informed Comment: Sistani Fatwa on Security

Saturday, April 02, 2005

Al-Hayat: Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani gave a fatwa Friday saying that cooperation with the forces charged with safeguarding security in Iraq is "obligatory" on all Iraqis, "as long as the principles of Islamic law are observed."

Sistani was replying to a letter sent him, which asked if it was required to cooperate with security forces aiming at keeping the country safe, at a time when it was threatened by former regime elements and those who came from abroad to throw the country into turmoil. The new fatwa does not change anything, since Sistani was known to have this position. But it does reinforce the legitimacy of the new Iraqi military and police forces, being trained by the US.