U.S. and Al-Sistani: Passing the Buck on Al-Sadr?

Gunbattles between U.S. forces and the Mehdi Army have intensified in An Najaf; machine-gun fire damaged one of the most sacred shrines in Shiite Islam on May 14. This incident, along with the pattern of recent U.S. troop movements in southern Iraqi holy cities, suggests the Coalition Provisional Authority is moving against Muqtada al-Sadr, if incrementally. U.S. forces must tread carefully to avoid crossing the line, and this has Washington (and Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani) worried.