Al-Jazeera is reporting a power struggle among Shi'ite leaders in Najaf. I'm not sure it's possible at this point to say how strong the different groups are and, more importantly, what their differences are. I will seek to learn more.

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has proposed a popular referendum on the resumption of ties with the U.S., according to IRNA. Rafsanjani was Iran's President from 1989-1997, and though today he's lumped in with the hard-liners, he's really more of a moderate figure, and I vaguely recall hearing his election touted as one showing hope for reform back when I was a wee lad watching CNN in my parent's house. Today he chairs the Expediency Council, which mediates between the Majlis and the Council of Guardians. I doubt this will actually amount to anything, but it does show how much pressure for taking the revolution in Iran to its next phase of development has built within Iran over the past 10 years. The administration hawks should just shut up and let things in that country take their course.

OK...off to the library!