Iraqi Shia leader withdraws from politics

This (via The Agonist) cannot be good:

The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war.

Aides say Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is angry and disappointed that Shias are ignoring his calls for calm and are switching their allegiance in their thousands to more militant groups which promise protection from Sunni violence and revenge for attacks.

"I will not be a political leader any more," he told aides. "I am only happy to receive questions about religious matters."

Sistani has been one of the few Iraqi voices calling for calm and restraint. If he's throwing in the towel, that cannot be good. Sean-Paul Kelly at the Agonist makes a good point about the media coverage of this turn of events:

Which event do you think is more important to the history of Iraq?

This one:

Iraqi armed forces have arrested the No. 2 leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, the country's national security leader said Sunday.

Or this one:

The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war.

I thought so. Now, tell me which event is on the front page of the New York Times and the Washington Post?

Yeah, I thought so too.