Will Iraq's Sunnis get own political-religious authority?
Some Sunni groups are seeking to establish a unified religious leadership, setting Sunnis up to play a stronger role in the upcoming elections.
The visit of prominent Sunni cleric and Islamic preacher Ahmad al-Kubaisi to Iraq after a 15-year hiatus has sparked great controversy among Iraqi Sunnis. Kubaisi has called for the establishment of a unified Sunni marja (the highest level religious authority, somewhat akin to the Shiite one) to serve communities on both religious and political matters.
"The Kurds, Shiites, Turkmens, Jews, Christians and Yazidis all have religious authorities," Kubaisi said Feb. 1 in Baghdad in the presence of the head of the Sunni Endowment in Iraq, Abdul Latif al-Humim.
