ayatollah sistani has many, many offices. they are all over. and he is obviously a very influential leader not only in iraq but also in iran. and he's now married so ayatollah co-mainy's grandchildren and sistani's grandchildren have now very close relations. and ayatollah sistani, like many other members of the clergy involved, is what is considered to be a traditional cleric, essentially not very happy with the kind of dynamics. they don't want to be out of the political process. obviously they want their influence. at the same time they cannot be very happy with the dynamics. and there are reports that some people have gone to see him and it is very clear when mr. ahmadinejad went to iraq he didn't meet with heim. so i think he has given his hint in terms of where his preferences lie. and it is within this that he think he falls within the context of all of these activities that are going on within the clear confidential community -- clerical community. robin showed the picture of some of the ayatollahs that have been the more political ayat

you know the idea cholecystotomy has many offices -- you know the ayatollah sistani has many offices, very influential and iraq and iran. his grandson or granddaughter is now married to another leaders daughter or son. these ayatollah's grandchildren have close family relations. like many other members of the clergy, it is considered to be a traditional cleric -- not very happy with the kind of dynamics -- they do not want to be out of the process. they want their influence. at the same time, cannot be happy with the dynamics that are going on. some have gone to see him. it is very clear that when mr. ahmadinejad went to iraq, the ayatollah did not meet with ham -- with him. he has given his hands in terms of where his preference is like -- preferences lie. i think it is all these activities that go on within the clerical activity. they showed me the political leaders that have taken a stance. but in the past week two major ayatollahs have given us our men. they have not -- have given the answer man. they have not done that for a while. it was a political arrangement that existed in t

. >> rose: is ayatollah sistani playing a positive role? >> he is, he is. he is a very revered shi'a cleric who has essentially... during the whole issue of american troops as they were negotiating the so-called security agreement he says american troops should be treated like guests. and anyone knows about arab society knows guests is the most exalted position. i mean, being a guest, it's not like your mother-in-law staying with you, it's a real guest. and so everyone knows that that means lay off the troops. you know, this has been a tough situation. you know, the shi'a, who are by far the largest majority in iraq there are researchly no shi'a majority states in the middle east. so they're looking out at a sunni kuwait, at a sunni saudi arabia, sunni syria. i mean, these states that have never had a shi'a leadership. so iraq is.... >> rose: how about iran? >> well, there's the issue. the only other shi'a majority and shi'a-run state in the middle east right now is iran. and so what we don't want is a situation where the iraqis feel somehow that that's the