Shiite Cleric al-Sistani Forbids Iraqis From Selling Food To Americans

Dick Cheney infamously said in March of 2003 that when the U.S. invades Iraq, "we will be greeted as liberators." As the Iraq War enters its 6th year, Cheney's assertion has been shown to be clearly false, with the U.S. battling a largely homegrown, Sunni insurgency and Shiite militias. In a sign of just how opposed some Shiite groups are to the U.S.'s presence in Iraq, one of the country's most powerful Shiite clerics, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, has issued a fatwa forbidding Iraqis from selling food to Americans (from Juan Cole):
Fars News reproduces in Persian on May 24, 2008, another anti-American fatwa by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani of Najaf. It says that its correspondent in Najaf reports that an Iraqi Shiite submitted the following to Sistani:
'I sell foodstuffs. Sometimes the Occupying Powers or their associates come to my establishment. May I sell them foodstuffs?'
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani replied:
' Selling foodstuffs to the Occupying Powers is not permitted.'
Cole identifies another reason why this fatwa is important:
This fatwa is significant in light of the reports that Sistani has been orally permitting attacks on US troops by Shiite militiamen loyal to the Shiite religious authorities in Najaf.
Think Progress notes that McCain also made predictions that the Iraq War would be "easy."
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