Senior Iraqi Shi'ite cleric urges boycott and a united resistance

Reuters: "The current elections are a conspiracy to divide and destroy Iraq" Ayatollah Ahmed al-Hassani al-Baghdadi told Reuters. "I believe these elections will fail as most Iraqis will boycott because of the lack of security and calls for federalism ... I call on my people to boycott the elections" he said in an interview at his home in Najaf.

Baghdadi condemned elections under the gaze of U.S. tanks as a mockery, slammed the cleric-politicians who are running for office and urged Iraqis to unite to expel American forces.

"Resistance will continue even if both Sunnis and Shi'ites go to the polls," he said. "These elections will fail. Elections with lax security, under the interim constitution, have no legitimacy."

"I am a son of Iraq and I call on all Christians and Muslims to expel the Americans from Iraq," he added. Link