Sistani and the Kurds

RFE-RL is also reporting that Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani and Kurdish leader Jalal Talebani have had a breakthrough in election talks. Talebani also claims Sistani has endorsed the principles of Kurdish autonomy. Recent months have seen generally good relations between Shi'ites and Kurds, both of whom have an interest in breaking the Sunni Arabs' lock on political power. This deal really doesn't surprise me. It is sort of fascinating to watch Ayatollah Sistani essentially cobble together a functioning Iraqi governing system while the Americans scramble.