Since the start of the political process in Iraq, Shiite cleric Ali al-Sistani has adopted the approach of providing overall direction without interfering in the political decision-making of the Iraqi government. This behavior is due to his religious and political views, which prevent him from political work because he is a cleric and an important religious reference for the Shiite community.
Since the political deterioration in Iraq two years ago, Sistani has made every effort to keep Iraq from sliding into the abyss. But the faulty policies of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his determination to press forward despite warnings from Sistani have put the country in major crisis from which it cannot get out soon.