"Al-Rubaie spoke to reporters after briefing Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf on the progress of the government's security efforts and the talks.

"Our stance in the negotiations underway with the American side will be strong ... We will not accept any memorandum of understanding that doesn't have specific dates to withdraw foreign forces from Iraq," al-Rubaie said."

Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani still controls Iraqi politics. Bush created another Islamic-controlled state in the Middle East. What will the next Grand Ayatollah of Iraq do when 78 year old Sistani dies?

ML