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152-585: The TAL was principally drafted by a ten-man committee appointed by the Bush Administration with advice from the United States and United Nations personnel. The preamble begins: The people of Iraq, striving to reclaim their freedom, which was usurped by the previous tyrannical regime, rejecting violence and coercion in all their forms, and particularly when used as instruments of governance, have determined that they shall hereafter remain

304-646: A Qatari broadcast of Al Jazeera television programming. While presenting, Bela Hodod (a.k.a. Without Borders ), Mansour voiced skepticism of Sistani's leadership credentials while directing questions about the Iraqi-born cleric, to his guest, Shia cleric Jawad al-Khalsi . Mansour also suggested that Sistani was unaware of contemporary problems in Iraq and of prevailing post-war conditions, and he alleged that Sistani's edicts were largely, written and disseminated by aides. At another point, Mansour asked Khalsi whether

456-724: A global war on terrorism . He ordered an invasion of Afghanistan in an effort to overthrow the Taliban , destroy al-Qaeda , and capture Osama bin Laden . He also signed the controversial Patriot Act in order to authorize surveillance of suspected terrorists. In 2003, Bush ordered an invasion of Iraq , alleging that the Saddam Hussein regime possessed weapons of mass destruction . Intense criticism came when neither WMD stockpiles nor evidence of an operational relationship with al-Qaeda were found. Before 9/11, Bush had pushed through

608-516: A simultaneous air and land attack on Iraq on March 20, 2003, in what the American media called " shock and awe ." With 145,000 soldiers, the ground force quickly overcame most Iraqi resistance, and thousands of Iraqi soldiers deserted. The U.S. captured the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on April 9, but Hussein escaped and went into hiding. While the U.S. and its allies quickly achieved military success,

760-731: A $ 1.3 trillion tax cut program and the No Child Left Behind Act , a major education bill. He also pushed for socially conservative efforts, such as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and faith-based welfare initiatives . Also in 2003, he signed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act , which created Medicare Part D . During his second term, Bush reached multiple free trade agreements and successfully nominated John Roberts and Samuel Alito to

912-592: A 58–42 vote in January 2006. In the years immediately after Roberts and Alito took office, the Roberts Court was generally more conservative than the preceding Rehnquist Court , largely because Alito tended to be more conservative than O'Connor had been. Bush also appointed 62 judges to the United States Courts of Appeals , 261 judges to the United States district courts , and 2 judges to

1064-474: A Shia from the United Arab Emirates using the handle "ShiaZone", was shown logging into email accounts of suspected members of group-xp. The hacked email accounts reportedly yielded group-xp's contact information, information that was subsequently posted on Shia websites. Sistani is considered the current world leader of Shia Muslims. One of the most senior scholars of Twelver Shia with

1216-407: A free people governed under the rule of law. And contains further, ...affirming today their respect for international law, ... working to reclaim their legitimate place among nations,... have endeavored at the same time to preserve the unity of their homeland. Article 2 provides for an Annex to this document, which was issued by the interim Governing Council on 1 June 2004, before the beginning of

1368-455: A hotel near his office. It is believed to have been part of a larger attack against several targets in Najaf. In an online open poll 2005, Ali Sistani was selected as the 30th topmost intellectual person in the world on the list of Top 100 Public Intellectuals by Prospect ( UK ) and Foreign Policy (US). On 13 June 2014, Sistani appealed that Iraqis should support the government against

1520-531: A judge, but who had worked as a corporate lawyer and White House staffer. Her nomination immediately faced opposition from conservatives (and liberals) who were wary of her unproven ideology and lack of judicial experience. After Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist informed Bush that Miers did not have the votes necessary to win confirmation, Miers withdrew from consideration. Bush then nominated Samuel Alito , who received strong support from conservatives but faced opposition from Democrats. Alito won confirmation in

1672-820: A major economic disaster, and he established the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to buy toxic assets from financial institutions. At various points in his presidency, Bush was among both the most popular and unpopular presidents in U.S. history. He received the highest recorded approval ratings in the wake of the September 11 attacks, but also one of the lowest such ratings during the Iraq War and 2007–2008 financial crisis. Although public sentiment of Bush has improved since he left office, his presidency has generally been rated as below-average by scholars. The oldest son of George H. W. Bush ,

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1824-468: A network of representatives ( wakil ) "who promote his views in large and small ways in neighborhoods, mosques , bazaars , and seminaries from Kirkuk to Basra ." In Iran, due to the post-invasion opening of the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala to Iranians, many Iranians are said to return from pilgrimage in Iraq as supporters of Sistani. Sistani sent nearly 1,000 aid packages, mostly food, but also other basic needs, to Balkhab , Afghanistan during

1976-529: A partial manual recount, but the United States Supreme Court effectively ordered an end to this process, on equal protection grounds, in the case of Bush v. Gore , leaving Bush with a victory in both the state and the election. Bush won the presidential election with 271 electoral votes compared to Gore's 266, though Gore narrowly won a plurality of the nationwide popular vote, receiving 543,895 more votes than Bush. Bush thus became

2128-627: A particular view, no regional or international actor may seize the will of the Iraqi people and impose its will on them." As the leading cleric in Najaf, Sistani oversees sums amounting to millions of US dollars. His followers offer him a fixed part of their earnings ( khums ), which is used for educational and charitable purposes. Sistani's office has reported that it supports 35,000 students in Qom, 10,000 in Mashhad, and 4,000 in Isfahan . It also oversees

2280-471: A previously diagnosed heart condition. He traveled to London to receive medical treatment. It was, reportedly, the first time that Sistani had left Iraq in decades, and may have been due, in part, to growing concerns for his safety from sectarian violence. Though still recovering, Sistani returned later in the month to broker a military truce at the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf where Muqtada al-Sadr and

2432-637: A red crosshair among Hezbollah and Hamas members. The image provoked outrage among the Iraqi public and condemnations from the Iraqi government and the United States' ambassador to Iraq, Alina Romanowski . By working with Shia computer programmers and other specialists, Sistani sponsored the establishment of The Ahlulbayt Global Information Center , an international web resource, and he has since been called "the electronic grand ayatollah par excellence." On 18 September 2008, hackers attacked hundreds of Shia websites. The attacks were reportedly

2584-558: A resolution called the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists , authorizing the president to use the military against those responsible for the attacks. On October 7, 2001, Bush ordered the invasion of Afghanistan . General Tommy Franks , the commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), drew up a four-phase invasion plan. In the first phase, the U.S. built up forces in

2736-566: A shift in U.S. public opinion towards support of the war, it failed to convince the French, Russians, or Germans. Contrary to the findings of Blix and ElBaradei, Bush asserted in a March 17 public address that there was "no doubt" that the Iraqi regime possessed weapons of mass destruction. Two days later, Bush authorized Operation Iraqi Freedom , and the Iraq War began on March 20, 2003. U.S.-led coalition forces, led by General Franks, launched

2888-567: A simple model of government" based "on the principle of majority rule … accountable and representative government that would reflect and protect Shia identity". At the same time he is conservative in matters of religious law, "unaffected" by the ideas of "modernism". Though his differences with Iraq's larger and more powerful neighbor the Islamic Republic of Iran and their theory of Velayat-e-faqih are "profound" according to Nasr, Sistani has avoided "entanglements" with them and with

3040-552: A spirited challenge that was supported by many moderates and foreign policy hawks . McCain's loss in the South Carolina primary effectively ended the 2000 Republican primaries , and Bush was officially nominated for president at the 2000 Republican National Convention . Bush selected former secretary of defense Dick Cheney as his running mate; though Cheney offered little electoral appeal and had health problems, Bush believed that Cheney's extensive experience would make him

3192-598: A strict interpretation of the theory of velayat-e faqih, especially of absolute guardianship, and has not explicitly offered any substantive affirmation of the theory as a whole (including limited guardianship); thereby creating "a major lacuna " in the "grand ideological scenario" of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In May 2007, hundreds of Shias demonstrated publicly in Basra and Najaf to protest comments made by television presenter and journalist Ahmed Mansour during

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3344-507: A struggle between the terrorists and the aircraft's passengers. The attacks had a profound effect on many Americans, who felt vulnerable to international attacks for the first time since the end of the Cold War . Appearing on national television on the night of the attacks, Bush promised to punish those who had aided the attacks, stating, "we will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." In

3496-413: A terrorist campaign against U.S. targets, orchestrating attacks such as the 1998 United States embassy bombings and the 2000 USS Cole bombing . During Bush's first months in office, U.S. intelligence organizations intercepted communications indicating that al-Qaeda was planning another attack on the United States, but foreign policy officials were unprepared for a major attack on the United States. Bush

3648-540: A valuable governing partner. With Democratic President Bill Clinton term-limited, the Democrats nominated Vice President Al Gore of Tennessee for president and Senator Joe Lieberman of Connecticut for vice president. Bush's campaign emphasized their own candidate's character in contrast with that of Clinton, who had been embroiled in the Lewinsky scandal . Bush held a substantial lead in several polls taken after

3800-461: Is a unicameral legislature with 275 elected members. Members selected a President of the Assembly, who serves as a non-voting speaker , and two deputies. The Assembly is the chief lawmaking organ, and is required to propose and pass bills in order to make law for the country. The Assembly also elected a President of State who along with two deputies formed a Presidency Council to "represent

3952-529: Is in accordance with the verses of the Holy Qur'an and the traditions of the pure infallibles of the Household, peace be upon them, and I do not approve the above-mentioned method. He has also warned young students of the seminary against the rising mystic tendencies in religious circles. In 2005, Sistani issued a Fatwa , calling for homosexuals to be killed in "the most severe way". Sistani then retracted

4104-490: The 2019–2021 Iraqi protests . He requested that the government prosecute those who gave the command to shoot protesters. The ayatollah rarely voices his opinion on politics except in extreme unrest. The protests have been described as Iraq's worst violence since ISIL was militarily defeated in 2017. A month later in November 2019, in response to the death of three Iraqi protesters, Sistani said "No person or group, no side with

4256-659: The Balkhab uprising in 2022 to help out the displaced Hazaras . A spokesperson for the al-Abbas Shrine confirmed that Sistani was overseeing the relief campaign conducted by the shrine for displaced Lebanese families amid the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in October 2024 . The relief campaign has delivered at least 1,200 tons of aid as of 8 October 2024. According to scholar Vali Nasr , Sistani, like his mentor Al-Khoei, sees Islamic scholars "mainly as teachers and defenders of

4408-537: The Bill Clinton administration , and with the Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan 's support, Bush argued that the best use of the surplus was to lower taxes. By the time Bush took office, reduced economic growth had led to less robust federal budgetary projections, but Bush maintained that tax cuts were necessary to boost economic growth. After Treasury secretary Paul O'Neill expressed concerns over

4560-519: The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act , stating that he thought the law would improve the financing system for elections but was "far from perfect." The law placed several limits on political donations and expenditures, and closed loopholes on contribution limits on donations to political candidates by banning the use of so-called "soft money." Portions of the law restricting independent expenditures would later be struck down by

4712-619: The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 , which included many of the president's proposals, but the bill did not pass the House of Representatives. After Democrats took control of Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections, Bush worked with Ted Kennedy to re-introduce the bill as the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 . The bill received intense criticism from many conservatives, who had become more skeptical of immigration reform, and it failed to pass

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4864-922: The Enron scandal, Bush signed the Sarbanes–Oxley Act into law. The act expanded reporting requirements for public companies Shortly after the start of his second term, Bush signed the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 , which had been a priority of his administration and part of his broader goal of instituting tort reform . The act was designed to remove most class action lawsuits from state courts to federal courts, which were regarded as less sympathetic to plaintiffs in class action suits. Bush endorsed civil rights and appointed blacks, women and gays to high positions. The premier cabinet position, Secretary of State, went to Colin Powell (2001–2005),

5016-623: The Iraqi insurgency opposed to the continuing U.S. presence. Fearing the further deterioration of Iraq's security situation, General John Abizaid ordered the end of the planned drawdown of soldiers, leaving over 130,000 U.S. soldiers in Iraq. The U.S. captured Hussein on December 13, 2003, but the occupation force continued to suffer casualties. Between the start of the invasion and the end of 2003, 580 U.S. soldiers died, with two thirds of those casualties occurring after Bush's "Mission Accomplished" speech. After 2003, more and more Iraqis began to see

5168-632: The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant militant group, which had taken over Mosul and Tikrit and was threatening Baghdad. Later in June 2014, Sistani revised his statement and issued a fatwa calling for "citizens to defend the country, its people, the honor of its citizens, and its sacred places," against the ISIL. Sistani said the Iraqi government and police were liable for killing protestors during

5320-550: The Israel–Hamas war , Sistani issued a statement in which he 'condemned Israel and called on the world to stand up to the “terrible brutality” in besieged Gaza .' On 23 September 2024, Sistani's office issued a statement condemning the 'brutal Zionist aggression' in Lebanon amidst an intensified Israeli airstrike campaign in the country , urging the international community to uphold the protection of civilians and restore peace in

5472-519: The Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 , which cut taxes by another $ 350 billion over 10 years. That law also lowered the capital gains tax and taxes on dividends . Collectively, the Bush tax cuts reduced federal individual tax rates to their lowest level since World War II , and government revenue as a share of gross domestic product declined from 20.9% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2004. Most of

5624-985: The Kyoto Protocol , the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty , and the International Criminal Court . Terrorism had emerged as an important national security issue in the Clinton administration, and it became one of the dominant issues of the Bush administration. In the late 1980s, Osama bin Laden had established al-Qaeda , a militant Sunni Islamist multi-national organization that sought to overthrow Western-backed governments in Saudi Arabia , Jordan , Egypt , and Pakistan . In response to Saudi Arabia's decision to begin hosting U.S. soldiers in 1991, al-Qaeda had begun

5776-552: The Mahdi Army had been cornered by American and Iraqi forces. Sadr, who rose rapidly to prominence through a series of independent military actions beginning in 2004, has since actively challenged Sistani's more progressive influence over Shia in the region. Sistani's edicts reportedly provided many Iraqi Shia cause for participating in the January 2005 elections —he urged, in a statement on October 1, 2004, that Iraqis recognize

5928-553: The OMB under Gerald Ford , was appointed secretary of the treasury, while former Missouri senator John Ashcroft was appointed attorney general. As Bush had little foreign policy experience, his appointments would serve an important role in shaping U.S. foreign policy during his tenure. Several of his initial top foreign policy appointees had served in his father's administration ; Vice President Cheney had been secretary of defense, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice had served on

6080-477: The Saudi religious authorities. Lebanon-based Islamist organization Hezbollah also condemned the attack on Sistani, calling the speech "inauspicious," while praising Sistani as one of Shia Islam's "most prominent religious references." In October 2024, right-wing Israeli news agency Channel 14 broadcast a list of " axis of resistance " leaders targeted for assassination, which displayed an image of Sistani under

6232-602: The Supreme Court . He sought major changes to Social Security and immigration laws, but both efforts failed. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq continued, and in 2007 he launched a surge of troops in Iraq . The Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina and the dismissal of U.S. attorneys controversy came under attack, with a drop in his approval ratings. A global meltdown in financial markets dominated his last days in office as policymakers looked to avert

Transitional Administrative Law (Iraq) - Misplaced Pages Continue

6384-577: The Truman administration , Bush decided to use his newfound political capital to fundamentally change U.S. foreign policy. He became increasingly focused on the possibility of a hostile country providing weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) to terrorist organizations. During his early 2002 State of the Union Address , Bush set forth what has become known as the Bush Doctrine , which held that

6536-528: The U.S. Intelligence Community and expanded the government's domestic authority to conduct surveillance of suspected terrorists. The Patriot Act also authorized the use of roving wiretaps on suspected terrorists and expanded the government's authority to conduct surveillance of suspected " lone wolf " terrorists. Bush also secretly authorized the National Security Agency to conduct warrantless surveillance of communications in and out of

6688-457: The United States was using Iraqi politicians, and also Sistani, to promote Western interests in Iraq. In January 2010, during a Jumu'ah khutba (Friday sermon), an imam employed by the Saudi government, Mohamad al-Arefe , said Sistani was an "obscene, irreligious atheist." The remarks prompted a protest by his followers in Iraq, Qom and Lebanon. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki rebuked

6840-664: The United States Court of International Trade . Among them were two future Supreme Court associate justices: Neil Gorsuch to a seat on the Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 2006, and Brett Kavanaugh to the Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit in 2006. Bush's promise to cut taxes was the centerpiece of his 2000 presidential campaign, and upon taking office, he made tax cuts his first major legislative priority. A budget surplus had developed during

6992-574: The United States Supreme Court . Cheney and White House Counsel Harriet Miers selected two widely respected conservatives, D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals judge John Roberts and Fourth Circuit judge Michael Luttig , as the two finalists. In June 2005, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor unexpectedly announced that she would retire from the court, and Bush nominated Roberts for her position the following month. After Rehnquist died in September, Bush briefly considered elevating Associate Justice Antonin Scalia to

7144-630: The reconciliation , which in turn necessitated that the tax cuts would phase out in 2011 barring further legislative action. After the tax bill was passed, Senator Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party and began caucusing with the Democrats, giving them control of the Senate. After Republicans re-took control of the Senate during the 2002 mid-term elections, Bush proposed further tax cuts. With little support among Democrats, Congress passed

7296-400: The scientific consensus on climate change . Bush stated that he believed global warming is real and a serious problem, although he asserted that there existed a "debate over whether it's man-made or naturally caused". The Bush administration's stance on global warming remained controversial in the scientific and environmental communities. Critics alleged that the administration misinformed

7448-609: The $ 700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to buy toxic assets . The House rejected TARP in a 228–205 vote; although support and opposition crossed party lines, only about one-third of the Republican caucus supported the bill. After the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 778 points on the day of the House vote, the House and Senate both passed TARP. Bush later extended TARP loans to U.S. automobile companies, which faced their own crisis due to

7600-468: The 1980s, a mixture of Democrats and Republicans defied Speaker Dennis Hastert and passed a campaign finance reform bill. The House approved the bill with a 240–189 vote, while the bill passed the Senate in a 60–40 vote, the bare minimum required to overcome the filibuster. Throughout the congressional battle on the bill, Bush declined to take a strong position. However, in March 2002, Bush signed into law

7752-756: The 2000 election convinced many Republicans, including Congressman John Boehner of Ohio, to accept an education reform bill that increased federal funding. Seeking to craft a bipartisan bill, Bush courted Democratic senator Ted Kennedy , a leading liberal senator who served as the ranking member on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, and Pensions . Bush favored extensive testing to ensure that schools met uniform standards for skills such as reading and math. Bush hoped that testing would make schools more accountable for their performances and provide parents with more information in choosing which schools to send their children. Kennedy shared Bush's concern for

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7904-427: The 2000 election, Bush established a stable of advisers, including supply-side economics advocate Lawrence B. Lindsey and foreign policy expert Condoleezza Rice . With a financial team led by Karl Rove and Ken Mehlman , Bush built up a commanding financial advantage over other prospective Republican candidates. Though several prominent Republicans declined to challenge Bush, Arizona senator John McCain launched

8056-473: The 41st president of the United States, George W. Bush emerged as a presidential contender in his own right with his victory in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial election . After winning re-election by a decisive margin in the 1998 Texas gubernatorial election , Bush became the widely acknowledged front-runner in the race for the Republican nomination in the 2000 presidential election . In the years preceding

8208-497: The Assembly. The Prime Minister and his cabinet exercise most of the day-to-day runnings of government, including control over the armed forces. The Assembly has a right to remove the Prime Minister with a vote of no confidence . The Transitional Administrative Law spelled out the steps to be taken after the transfer of sovereignty to the writing and enactment of a permanent constitution. Article 2 stated that elections for

8360-510: The Ba'ath Party merely as a career move. Bremer's second major order disbanded the Iraqi military and police services, leaving over 600,000 Iraqi soldiers and government employees without jobs. Bremer also insisted that the CPA remain in control of Iraq until the country held elections, reversing an earlier plan to set up a transition government led by Iraqis. These decisions contributed to the beginning of

8512-592: The Bush administration arranged passage of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 . Falling home prices started threatening the financial viability of many institutions, leaving Bear Stearns , a prominent U.S.-based investment bank, on the brink of failure in March 2008. Recognizing the growing threat of a financial crisis, Bush allowed Treasury secretary Paulson to arrange for another bank, JPMorgan Chase , to take over most Bear Stearn's assets. Out of concern that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might also fail,

8664-423: The Bush administration put both institutions into conservatorship . Shortly afterwards, the administration learned that Lehman Brothers was on the verge of bankruptcy, but the administration ultimately declined to intervene on behalf of Lehman Brothers. Paulson hoped that the financial industry had shored itself up after the failure of Bear Stearns and that the failure of Lehman Brothers would not strongly impact

8816-554: The Bush tax cuts were later made permanent by the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 , though that act rolled back the tax cuts on top earners. Contrary to the rhetoric of the Bush administration and Republicans, the budget deficit increased, leaving many to believe the tax cuts were at fault. Statements by President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney , and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist that these tax cuts effectively "paid for themselves" were disputed by

8968-646: The CBPP, the U.S. Treasury Department and the CBO. Aside from tax cuts, Bush's other major policy initiative upon taking office was education reform. Bush had a strong personal interest in reforming education, especially regarding the education of low-income and minority groups. He often derided the "soft bigotry of low expectations" for allowing low-income and minority groups to fall behind. Although many conservatives were reluctant to increase federal involvement in education, Bush's success in campaigning on education reform in

9120-566: The Gulf War; after the war, it had submitted to WMD inspections conducted by the United Nations Special Commission until 1998, when Hussein demanded that all UN inspectors leave Iraq. The administration believed that, by 2001, Iraq was developing weapons of mass destruction, and could possibly provide those weapons to terrorists. Some within the administration also believed that Iraq shared some responsibility for

9272-538: The Iraq War, contributing to a decline in Bush's approval ratings. Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani ʿAlī Ḥusaynī Sīstānī ( Persian : علی حسینی سیستانی ; Arabic : علي الحسيني السيستاني ; born 4 August 1930) is an Iranian Islamic scholar. A Grand Ayatollah and marja , Sistani is considered the leading religious leader of Twelver Shia Muslims . Born in Mashhad to a sayyid family, Sistani studied in Qom under Hossein Borujerdi and later in Najaf under Abu al-Qasim al-Khu'i. An Usuli, Sistani rose to

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9424-429: The Iraqi Transitional Government in accordance with this Law. This appears to permit the Transitional Government to modify coalition legislation or parts of the Law of Administration "by a three-fourths majority of the members of the National Assembly and the unanimous approval of the Presidency Council". The Transitional Government, however, may not change the transitional period or remove human rights, nor may they delay

9576-422: The National Assembly should take place no later than January 31, 2005. Article 61 stated that the Assembly should write a permanent constitution by no later than 15 August 2005. The draft permanent constitution would be presented in a referendum to the Iraqi people by 15 October 2005. According to the TAL, the permanent constitution would be adopted if a majority of Iraqi voters approve it, and no more than 2/3 of

9728-531: The National Assembly was to be dissolved and new elections were to be held. Local court justices are appointed by local governments and their "juridical councils", the Supreme Court being appointed by the Federal Government. The Supreme Court has nine members and possesses the ability to overturn legislation it finds unconstitutional. The constitution also establishes several "National Commissions" to investigate and address recent concerns such as human rights and war crimes. The transitional constitution recognizes

9880-401: The National Security Council, and deputy secretaries Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Armitage had also served in important roles. Secretary of State Colin Powell had served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under the first president Bush. Bush had long admired Powell, and the former general was Bush's first choice for the position. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld , who had served in

10032-454: The Northern Alliance began its offensive on October 19. The capital of Kabul was captured on November 13, and Hamid Karzai was inaugurated as the new president of Afghanistan. However, the senior leadership of the Taliban and al-Qaeda, including bin Laden, avoided capture. Karzai would remain in power for the duration of Bush's presidency, but his effective control was limited to the area around Kabul, as various warlords took control of much of

10184-401: The Senate. After years of financial deregulation accelerating under the Bush administration, banks lent subprime mortgages to more and more home buyers, causing a housing bubble . Many of these banks also invested in credit default swaps and derivatives that were essentially bets on the soundness of these loans. In response to declining housing prices and fears of an impending recession,

10336-408: The September 11 attacks, and hoped that the fall of Hussein's regime would help spread democracy in the Middle East, deter the recruitment of terrorists, and increase the security of Israel . In the days following the September 11 attacks, hawks in the Bush administration such as Wolfowitz argued for immediate military action against Iraq, but the issue was temporarily set aside in favor of planning

10488-418: The Supreme Court in the 2010 case of Citizens United v. FEC . After the passage of the Bush tax cuts and the No Child Left Behind Act, Bush turned his domestic focus to healthcare. He sought to expand Medicare so it would also cover the cost of prescription drugs , a program that became known as Medicare Part D . Many congressional Democrats opposed the bill because it did not allow Medicare to negotiate

10640-462: The U.S. as an occupying force. The fierce fighting of the First Battle of Fallujah alienated many in Iraq, while cleric Muqtada al-Sadr encouraged Shia Muslims to oppose the CPA. Sunni and Shia insurgents engaged in a campaign of guerrilla warfare against the United States, blunting the technological and organizational advantages of the U.S. military. While fighting in Iraq continued, Americans increasingly came to disapprove of Bush's handling of

10792-495: The United States began with his first inauguration on January 20, 2001, and ended on January 20, 2009. Bush, a Republican from Texas , took office following his narrow electoral college victory over Democratic incumbent vice president Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election , in which he lost the popular vote to Gore by 543,895 votes. Four years later, in the 2004 presidential election , he narrowly defeated Democrat nominee John Kerry , to win re-election and winning both

10944-665: The United States had launched the Gulf War against Iraq after the latter invaded Kuwait . Though the U.S. forced Iraq's withdrawal from Kuwait, it left Saddam Hussein 's administration in place, partly to serve as a counterweight to Iran . After the war, the Project for the New American Century , consisting of influential neoconservatives like Paul Wolfowitz and Cheney, advocated for the overthrow of Hussein. Iraq had developed biological and chemical weapons prior to

11096-406: The United States was the world's lone superpower , it could act unilaterally if necessary. At the same time, Bush sought to enact the less interventionist foreign policy he had promised during the 2000 campaign. Though the first several months of his presidency focused on domestic issues, the Bush administration pulled the U.S. out of several existing or proposed multilateral agreements, including

11248-486: The United States would implement a policy of preemptive military strikes against nations known to be harboring or aiding a terrorist organization hostile to the United States. Bush outlined what he called the " Axis of Evil ," consisting of three nations that, he argued, posed the greatest threat to world peace due to their pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and potential to aid terrorists. The axis consisted of Iraq , North Korea and Iran . Bush also began emphasizing

11400-401: The United States. McCain's 2000 presidential campaign brought the issue of campaign finance reform to the fore of public consciousness in 2001. McCain and Russ Feingold pushed a bipartisan campaign finance bill in the Senate, while Chris Shays (R-CT) and Marty Meehan (D-MA) led the effort of passing it in the House. In just the second successful use of the discharge petition since

11552-571: The White House in the wake of the Dubai Ports World controversy and several botched White House initiatives, and he was replaced by Joshua Bolten. Bolten stripped Rove of some of his responsibilities and convinced Henry Paulson , the head of Goldman Sachs , to replace Snow as secretary of the treasury. After the 2006 elections, Rumsfeld was replaced by former CIA director Robert Gates . The personnel shake-ups left Rice as one of

11704-405: The administration decided to overthrow Afghanistan 's conservative Taliban government, which harbored the leaders of al-Qaeda. Powell took the lead in assembling allied nations in a coalition that would launch attacks on multiple fronts. The Bush administration focused especially on courting Pakistani leader Pervez Musharraf , who agreed to join the coalition. On September 14, Congress passed

11856-628: The call in 2011. Perhaps because of his great influence, what exactly the position of Sistani is on Ayatollah Khomeini's theory of rule of the Islamic jurist is disputed. A number of sources include him as opposing the concept. Al-Monitor news service lists him as one of the " four leading Marja' of Najaf (Bashir al-Najafi, Muhammad al-Fayadh, Muhammad Saeed al-Hakim being the others) who oppose Ruhollah Khomeini's concept" of rule by Islamic jurisprudence. Researcher Hayder Al-Khoei writes that pro-Islamic Republic of Iran propagandists have gone to

12008-526: The city of New Orleans after the failure of that city's levees . Over eighteen hundred people died in the hurricane, and Bush was widely criticized for his slow response to the disaster. Stung by the public response, Bush removed Federal Emergency Management Agency director Michael D. Brown from office and stated publicly that "Katrina exposed serious problems in our response capability at all levels of government." After Hurricane Katrina, Bush's approval rating fell below 40 percent, where it would remain for

12160-514: The country has its own system of governance and the role of the religious authority [in Iraq] is strictly advisory." Vali Nasr calls his differences with ruling clerics in Iran "profound", and his model of government based on majority rule. Ali Mamouri Medi Khalaji talks of him "explicitly" referring to " velayat-e insan (state guardianship by the people), as opposed to velayat-e faqih (guardianship of

12312-475: The court battle of Terri Schiavo , a comatose Florida woman who ultimately died. In March 2001, the Bush administration announced that it would not implement the Kyoto Protocol , an international treaty signed in 1997 that required nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The administration argued that ratifying the treaty would unduly restrict U.S. growth while failing to adequately limit emissions from developing nations. The administration questioned

12464-572: The current government of Iraqi Kurdistan as the legitimate government of the Kurds, and allows it to continue to exist within the new federal state. Iraq elected Governors and Governorate councils for each of its 18 governorates , as well as elected mayors and city councils for each city. Elections were held at the same time as National Assembly elections. Shariah is addressed in two ways: Former Ba'ath Party members who want to run for office are required to sign documents explicitly denouncing

12616-508: The decisions of the Bush administration, particularly the launching of the Iraq War, Powell resigned following the 2004 elections. He was replaced by Rice, while then-deputy national security adviser Stephen Hadley took Rice's former position. Most of Bush's top staffers stayed on after the 2004 election, although Spellings joined the Cabinet as secretary of education and Gonzales replaced Ashcroft as attorney general. In early 2006, Card left

12768-506: The economy, but news of the failure caused stock prices to tumble and froze credit. Fearing a total financial collapse, Paulson and the Federal Reserve took control of American International Group (AIG), another major financial institution that teetered on the brink of failure. Hoping to shore up the other banks, Bush and Paulson proposed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 , which would create

12920-508: The education of impoverished children, but he strongly opposed the president's proposed school vouchers , which would allow parents to use federal funding to pay for private schools. Both men cooperated to pass the No Child Left Behind Act , which dropped the concept of school vouchers but included Bush's idea of nationwide testing. Both houses of Congress registered overwhelming approval for the bill's final version, which Bush signed into law in January 2002. However, Kennedy would later criticize

13072-401: The election as an "important matter," additionally, Sistani asked that the elections be "free and fair ... with the participation of all Iraqis." Soon after, Sistani issued a fatwa alerting Shia women that they were religiously obligated to participate in the election, even if their husbands had forbidden them from voting. In an issued statement Sistani remarked that "truly, women who go forth to

13224-611: The face of unified opposition, Republicans abandoned Bush's Social Security proposal in mid-2005. Hurricane Katrina , one of the largest and most powerful hurricanes ever to strike the United States, ravaged several states along the Gulf of Mexico in August 2005. On a working vacation at his ranch in Texas, Bush initially allowed state and local authorities to respond to the natural disaster. The hurricane made landfall on August 29, devastating

13376-532: The faith". In government he saw the "role of Islam as providing values and guidelines for social order" rather than rule. He "was not shy" in confronting US occupation authorities about issues such as who had the authority to write Iraq's new constitution and kept them at arm's length, but also avoided "Khomeini-style denunciations" of the United States as the 'Great Satan'. His supporters' demonstrations were "impressively large but peaceful". He opposes both secularism and Shi'i sectarianism. For Iraq, he "put forth

13528-545: The fears of critics that this would dissolve the traditional separation of church and state in the United States . To further this commitment, he created the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives to assist faith-based service organizations. In 2003, Bush signed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act , which banned intact dilation and extraction , an abortion procedure. Early in his administration, President Bush became personally interested in

13680-405: The final debate in October, but the unearthing of Bush's 1976 DUI arrest appeared to sap his campaign's momentum. By the end of election night, Florida emerged as the key state in the election, as whichever candidate won the state would win the presidency. Bush held an extremely narrow lead in the vote by the end of election night, triggering an automatic recount . The Florida Supreme Court ordered

13832-615: The first Black appointee at that high a level. He was followed by Condoleezza Rice (2005–2009), the first Black woman. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (2005–2007) was and remains in 2024 the highest appointed Hispanic in the history of American government. In addition Bush appointed the first senior officials who were publicly gay. However he campaigned against quotas, and warned that affirmative action that involved quotas were unacceptable. He deliberately selected minorities known as opponents of affirmative action for key civil rights positions. Thus in 2001 Bush nominated Linda Chavez to be

13984-433: The first Latina in the cabinet as Secretary of Labor. She had to withdraw when it was reported that a decade earlier she had hired an illegal immigrant. Upon taking office, Bush had little experience with foreign policy, and his decisions were guided by his advisers. Bush embraced the views of Cheney and other neoconservatives , who de-emphasized the importance of multilateralism ; neoconservatives believed that because

14136-624: The first director of the newly created department. The department was charged with overseeing immigration, border control, customs, and the newly established Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which focused on airport security . Though the FBI and CIA remained independent agencies, the DHS was assigned jurisdiction over the Coast Guard , the Immigration and Naturalization Service (which

14288-554: The first of many challenges the U.S. would face in keeping the peace in Iraq. Bush appointed Paul Bremer to lead the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), which was charged with overseeing the transition to self-government in Iraq. In his first major order, Bremer announced a policy of de-Ba'athification , which denied government and military jobs to members of Hussein's Ba'ath Party . This policy angered many of Iraq's Sunnis , many of whom had joined

14440-411: The following days, Bush urged the public to renounce hate crimes and discrimination against Muslim-Americans and Arab-Americans . He also declared a " War on Terror ", instituting new domestic and foreign policies in an effort to prevent future terrorist attacks. As Bush's top foreign policy advisers were in agreement that merely launching strikes against al-Qaeda bases would not stop future attacks,

14592-610: The fourth person to win the presidency while losing the popular vote . In the concurrent congressional elections , Republicans retained a narrow majority in the House of Representatives , but lost five seats in the Senate , leaving the partisan balance in the Senate at fifty Republicans and fifty Democrats. Rejecting the idea of a powerful White House chief of staff , Bush had high-level officials report directly to him rather than Chief of Staff Andrew Card . Vice President Cheney emerged as

14744-406: The government again run deficits. The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 won the support of congressional Republicans and a minority of congressional Democrats, and Bush signed it into law in June 2001. The act lowered the top income tax rate from 39 percent to 35 percent, and it also reduced the estate tax . The narrow Republican majority in the Senate necessitated the use of

14896-603: The grandson of Muhammad . His father was Mohammad-Baqir Sistani and his mother was the daughter of Ridha al-Mehrebani al-Sarabi. Sistani began his religious education as a child, first in Mashhad in his father's hawza , and continuing later in Qom . In Qom he studied under Grand Ayatollah Hossein Borujerdi . Later in 1951, Sistani traveled to Iraq to study in Najaf under Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei . Sistani rose to

15048-641: The implementation of the act, arguing that Bush had promised greater federal funding for education. Shortly after the September 11 attacks , Bush announced the creation of the Office of Homeland Security and appointed former governor of Pennsylvania Tom Ridge its director. After Congress passed the Homeland Security Act to create the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ridge became

15200-423: The importance of spreading democracy worldwide, stating in 2005 that "the survival of liberty in our land depends on the success of liberty in other land." Pursuant to this newly interventionist policy, the Bush administration boosted foreign aid and increased defense expenditures. Defense spending rose from $ 304 billion in fiscal year 2001 to $ 616 billion in fiscal year 2008. During the presidency of his father ,

15352-511: The invasion of Afghanistan. Beginning in September 2002, the Bush administration mounted a campaign designed to win popular and congressional support for the invasion of Iraq. In October 2002, Congress approved the Iraq Resolution , authorizing the use of force against Iraq. While congressional Republicans almost unanimously supported the measure, congressional Democrats were split in roughly equal numbers between support and opposition to

15504-466: The invasion was strongly criticized by many countries ; UN secretary-general Kofi Annan argued that the invasion was a violation of international law and the U.N. Charter . On May 1, 2003, Bush delivered the " Mission Accomplished speech ," in which he declared the end of "major combat operations" in Iraq. Despite the failure to find evidence of an ongoing WMD program or an operational relationship between Hussein and al-Qaeda , Bush declared that

15656-560: The issue of stem cell research. The Clinton administration had issued guidelines allowing the federal funding of research utilizing stem cells, and Bush decided to study the situation's ethics before issuing his own executive order on the issue. Evangelical religious groups argued that the research was immoral as it destroyed human embryos , while various advocacy groups touted the potential scientific advances afforded by stem cell research. In August 2001, Bush issued an executive order banning federal funding for research on new stem cell lines;

15808-420: The jurist)". But according to the pro-Khomeini organization Ahl-ul-bayt Islamic Mission, there has been a "West-based campaign" to manipulate "Shi’i public opinion" concerning the "character of Sayed ‘Ali Sistāni and jurists of the Najaf seminary" and to claim the "existence of a quietist and apolitical tradition of Shi’ism among the jurists". An archived question and answer from his website has this to say on

15960-579: The most powerful individual in the White House aside from Bush himself. Bush brought to the White House several individuals who had worked under him in Texas, including Senior Counselor Karen Hughes , Senior Adviser Karl Rove, legal counsel Alberto Gonzales , and Staff Secretary Harriet Miers . Other important White House staff appointees included Margaret Spellings as a domestic policy adviser, Michael Gerson as chief speechwriter, and Joshua Bolten and Joe Hagin as White House deputy chiefs of staff. Paul H. O'Neill , who had served as deputy director of

16112-412: The most prominent individuals in the administration, and she played a strong role in directing Bush's second term foreign policy. Gonzales and Rove both left in 2007 after controversy regarding the dismissal of U.S. attorneys, and Gonzales was replaced by Michael Mukasey , a former federal judge. After the 2004 election, many expected that the aging Chief Justice William Rehnquist would step down from

16264-506: The national budget is required to be distributed in an equitable manner proportional to the distribution of population throughout the country, and with "due regard for areas that were unjustly deprived of these revenues by the previous regime." Section A of Article 26 of the Law of Administration reads: Except as otherwise provided in this Law, the laws in force in Iraq on 30 June 2004 shall remain in effect unless and until rescinded or amended by

16416-560: The need for regime change, and the latter three countries each possessed veto power on the United Nations Security Council . At the behest of British prime minister Tony Blair , who supported Bush but hoped for more international cooperation, Bush dispatched Powell to the U.N. to make the case to the Security Council that Iraq maintained an active WMD program. Though Powell's presentation preceded

16568-452: The next elections by more than six months. Significantly, the elected Transitional Government is not bound by the clause in the Annex to the Law of Administration which prevented the appointed Interim Government from "taking any actions affecting Iraq's destiny beyond the limited interim period". Presidency of George W. Bush George W. Bush 's tenure as the 43rd president of

16720-493: The order allowed research on existing stem cell lines to continue. In July 2006, Bush used his first presidential veto on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act , which would have expanded federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. A similar bill was passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate early in mid-2007 as part of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 's 100-Hour Plan , but

16872-499: The overthrow of the Baath Party of Iraq in 2003, Sistani has played an increasingly prominent role in regional religious and political affairs and he has been called the "most influential" figure in post-invasion Iraq. Shortly after the American invasion began, Sistani issued a fatwa advising Shia clergy to become engaged in politics to better guide the Iraqi people toward "clearer decisions" and to fight "media propaganda." As

17024-400: The party and denying they possess any continuing ties to the organization or its principles. The natural resources of Iraq are explicitly declared to belong to all the people of all the regions and governorates of Iraq. Their management is required to involve consultation with the governments of the regions and the administrations of the governorates. Revenue resulting from their sale through

17176-808: The polling centers on election day are like Zaynab , who went forth to Karbala ." He has consistently urged the Iraqi Shia not to respond in kind to attacks from Sunni Salafists , which have become common in Sunni-dominated regions of Iraq like the area known as the " Triangle of Death ," south of Baghdad . Even after the destruction of the Shia Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra in February 2006, his network of clerics and preachers continued to urge calm and told their followers that "it

17328-490: The popular and the electoral college vote. Bush served two terms and was succeeded by Democrat Barack Obama , who won the 2008 presidential election . He is the eldest son of the 41st president, George H. W. Bush . A decisive event reshaping Bush's administration was the September 11, 2001 event. In its aftermath, Congress created the United States Department of Homeland Security and Bush declared

17480-417: The position of chief justice, but instead chose to nominate Roberts for the position. Roberts won confirmation from the Senate in a 78–22 vote, with all Republicans and a narrow majority of Democrats voting to confirm Roberts. To replace O'Connor, the Bush administration wanted to find a female nominee, but was unsatisfied with the conventional options available. Bush settled on Miers, who had never served as

17632-497: The prices of drugs, while many conservative Republicans opposed the expansion of the government's involvement in healthcare. Assisted by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and Senate majority leader Bill Frist , Bush overcame strong opposition and won passage of his Medicare bill. In December 2003, Bush signed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act , the largest expansion of Medicare since

17784-467: The program's creation in 1965. After winning re-election in 2004, Bush made the partial privatization of Social Security his top domestic priority. He proposed restructuring the program so that citizens could invest some of the money they paid in payroll taxes , which fund the Social Security program. The president argued that Social Security faced an imminent funding crisis and that reform

17936-669: The public and did not do enough to reduce carbon emissions and deter global warming. On January 6, 2009, President Bush designated the world's largest protected marine area. The Pacific Ocean habitat includes the Mariana Trench and the waters and corals surrounding three uninhabited islands in the Northern Mariana Islands , Rose Atoll in American Samoa, and seven islands along the equator. In July 2002, following several accounting scandals such as

18088-731: The rank of Grand Ayatollah and marja' , he has been described as the spiritual leader of Shia Muslims worldwide (as of 2003), "the undisputed leader of Iraq's Shias", included in top positions of " The Muslim 500: The World's Most Influential Muslims " , from 2009 to 2024, and named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2004 and 2005. Sistani has notoriously avoided public appearances, despite his widespread fame and not shying away from attention. In practice, Sistani never delivers public sermons or speeches and only releases official statements through "official representatives". The statements are later transcribed and posted on Sistani's official webpage, with

18240-478: The rank of mujtahid in 1960 and succeeded Abd al-A'la al-Sabziwari as Grand Ayatollah. Sistani was included in top positions of The Muslim 500: The World's Most Influential Muslims from 2004 to 2024 and named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2004 and 2005. Sistani was born in 1930 in Mashhad , to a family of religious clerics who claim descent from Husayn ibn Ali ,

18392-445: The rank of mujtahid in 1960 at thirty-one. When Ayatollah Khoei died in 1992, Abd al-A'la al-Sabziwari briefly became the leading marja'. However, when he died in 1993, Sistani ascended to the rank of Grand Ayatollah through formal peer recognition of his scholarship. His role as successor to Khoei was symbolically cemented when he led funeral prayers for Khoei, and he also inherited most of Khoei's network and following. During

18544-437: The region. On 28 September 2024, Sistani mourned the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and condemned his assassination in an Israeli airstrike the previous day . Ayatollah Sistani does not support the mystic worldview inspired from Ibn Arabi. Answering a question regarding Ibn Arabi's school of thought, he said: I believe in the method of the great jurists of Twelver Shi'ism in obtaining religious wisdom, which

18696-494: The resolution. Bowing to domestic and foreign pressure, Bush sought to win the approval of the United Nations before launching an attack on Iraq. Led by Powell, the administration won the November 2002 passage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 , which called on Iraq to dismantle its WMD program. Meanwhile, senior administration officials became increasingly convinced that Iraq did indeed possess WMDs and

18848-422: The rest of his tenure in office. Although he concentrated on other domestic policies during his first term, Bush supported immigration reform throughout his administration. In May 2006, he proposed a five-point plan that would increase border security , establish a guest worker program , and create a path to citizenship for the twelve million illegal immigrants living in the United States. The Senate passed

19000-516: The rest of the country. While the Karzai's government struggled to control the countryside, the Taliban regrouped in neighboring Pakistan. As Bush left office, he considered sending additional troops to bolster Afghanistan against the Taliban, but decided to leave the issue for the next administration. After the September 11 attacks, Bush's approval ratings increased tremendously. Inspired in part by

19152-419: The right to "education, health care, and social security." The right to possess, bear, buy, or sell arms is subject to "licensure issued in accordance with the law." The right to citizenship is detailed and prominent within the chapter on fundamental rights. Eight provisions govern who is and isn't a citizen. Any Iraqi whose citizenship was withdrawn for political, religious, racial, or sectarian reasons has

19304-490: The right to reclaim his Iraqi citizenship, and each Iraqi is guaranteed the right to carry more than one citizenship. Revolutionary Command Council Decree 666, which in 1980 banned citizenship in Iraq for Ajam , Iraqis of Persian origin, is explicitly annulled. Part of the Law of Administration's explicit rejection of Iraq's former racist policy (also explicitly referenced) is embodied in the wording "The federal system shall be based upon geographic and historical realities and

19456-665: The rivalries of Iranian politics, politics and clerics in Lebanon , and "never tried to promote a rivalry" between his religious center of Najaf and the Iranian center in Qom , a reflection, Nasr believes, of Sistani's reluctance to become involved in politics. He maintains good relations with the Iranian government. Sistani met with Pope Francis on 6 March 2021 during the latter's visit to Iraq . They met for about 40 minutes in Sistani's home in Najaf . In October 2023, during

19608-516: The same position during the Ford administration , rounded out the key figures in the national security team. Rumsfeld and Cheney, who had served together in the Ford administration, emerged as the leading foreign policy figures during Bush's first term. O'Neill, who opposed the Iraq War and feared that the Bush tax cuts would lead to deficits, was replaced by John W. Snow in February 2003. Frustrated by

19760-493: The separation of powers, and not upon origin, race, ethnicity, nationality, or confession." The Law stipulates that both Arabic and Kurdish be the official languages of Iraq. The constitution provides for a transitional National Assembly , elected on January 30, 2005. The government under the Transitional Law is a democratic republic , with three separate branches of government. The elected National Assembly

19912-457: The slogan "group-xp" paired with a message in Arabic denouncing Shia beliefs and officials. Hackers also replaced a video of Sistani with one of comedian Bill Maher mocking Sistani. However, the attack led to the retaliatory hacking of more than nine hundred Wahhabi and Salafi websites. One such successful attack was documented on video and uploaded to YouTube on 3 October 2008. The hacker,

20064-522: The sovereignty of Iraq and oversee the higher affairs of the country." The council represents the executive branch of government and has the right to veto laws passed by the Assembly. The Assembly can then over-rule the Council with a two-thirds majority vote. The Presidency Council appoints the Prime Minister of Iraq and cabinet ( Council of Ministers of Iraq ), all who must be approved by

20216-617: The specific question of obedience to a supreme leader, according to "Ayatollah Watch", Sistani has said that any pronouncement given by a supreme leader "supersedes all (including those given by other Maraji') unless the pronouncements are proven to be wrong or the pronouncements are proven to be against what is in the Qur'an or in Religious Tradition ". Yet another interpretation of his statements comes from Sadegh Zibakalam , who states that Sistani has consistently avoided supporting

20368-410: The subject: Question : What is Grand Ayatollah Sistani's opinion about velayat-e faqih? Answer : Every jurisprudent ( faqih ) has wilayah (guardianship) over non-litigious affairs. As for general affairs to which social order is linked and enforcement of doctrine, this depends on certain conditions, one of which is the popularity of the faqih among the majority of momeneen (believers). On

20520-594: The summer of 2003 approached, Sistani and his followers began petitioning the occupying forces for a constitutional convention. Later, Sistani called for a democratic vote of the people to form a transitional government . Observers described the move as being a path leading directly to Shia political dominance over Iraq's government , as Shia Muslims make up approximately 65% of the total Iraqi population. Subsequently, Sistani criticized plans for an Iraqi government for not being democratic enough. In early August 2004, Sistani experienced serious health complications related to

20672-619: The surrounding area and inserted CIA and special forces operatives who linked up with the Northern Alliance , an Afghan resistance group opposed to the Taliban. The second phase consisted of a major air campaign against Taliban and al-Qaeda targets, while the third phase involved the defeat of the remaining Taliban and al-Qaeda forces. The fourth and final phase consisted of the stabilization of Afghanistan, which Franks projected would take three to five years. The war in Afghanistan began on October 7 with several air and missile strikes, and

20824-399: The tax cut's size and the possibility of future deficits, Vice President Cheney took charge of writing the bill, which the administration proposed to Congress in March 2001. Bush initially sought a $ 1.6 trillion tax cut over a ten-year period, but ultimately settled for a $ 1.35 trillion tax cut. The administration rejected the idea of "triggers" that would phase out the tax reductions should

20976-414: The toppling of Hussein "removed an ally of al-Qaeda" and ended the threat that Iraq would supply weapons of mass destruction to terrorist organizations. Believing that only a minimal residual American force would be required after the success of the invasion, Bush and Franks planned for a drawdown to 30,000 U.S. troops in Iraq by August 2003. Meanwhile, Iraqis began looting their own capital, presenting one of

21128-411: The transitional period. The Annex forms an integral part of this Law, and for the most part clarifies aspects of the transitional and interim administration. Supporters lauded the constitution's guarantees of "fundamental rights": A lengthy provision emphasizes that police, investigators, or other governmental authorities may not violate the "sanctity of private residences." Iraqis are also guaranteed

21280-501: The trouble of publishing books with fabricated quotes by Sistani in favor of rule by jurists as one of their "propaganda campaigns" in Najaf, to obscure the fact that "Sistani, like the vast majority of Shia clerics based in the city of Najaf, is well-known for his opposition to Wilayat al-Faqih". Journalist Ali Muhammad quotes political analyst Abdul Wahhab al-Hussaini concerning Khomeini's follower and successor Ali Khamenei : "The conflict between Najaf and Tehran has become obvious as

21432-408: The two schools are fairly different - especially when it comes to the issue of wilayat al-faqih [the guardianship of the jurist] ... Najafi scholars do not believe in this concept at all, but Khamenei uses it to shore up his authority and influence in the region, especially in Iraq. Khamenei believes that his wilayat al-faqih authority extends to Iraq, while Sistani rejects such intervention, because

21584-491: The voters in any three governorates disapprove it. This provision was criticized by Ayatollah Al-Sistani on the grounds that it could lead to civil war if voters in the three majority Sunni Muslim governorates reject it. Article 61 also provided for an extension to the constitution drafting process for up to six months. If the constitution were to be rejected or if the National Assembly failed to come to agreement,

21736-592: The weak economy. Though TARP helped end the financial crisis, it did not prevent the onset of the Great Recession , which would continue after Bush left office. On his first day in office, President Bush reinstated the Mexico City policy , thereby blocking federal aid to foreign groups that offered assistance to women in obtaining abortions . Days later, he announced his commitment to channeling more federal aid to faith-based service organizations, despite

21888-479: The work of a Muslim faction known as group-xp, based in the Arabian Peninsula and linked to Salafi and Wahhabi movements. They attacked an estimated three hundred Shia internet websites, including The Ahlulbayt (a.s.) Global Information Center . It was later dubbed the "largest Wahhabi hacker attack" in recent years. After the attack, visitors to the site were greeted by a red attack banner bearing

22040-467: The years of Saddam Hussein 's rule of Iraq through the Arab nationalist and Sunni dominated Baath Party , Sistani was untouched during the violent Baathist repression and persecution that killed many clerics including Muhammad al-Sadr in 1999, for which Saddam denied any involvement. Sistani's mosque was forcefully shut down in 1994 and did not reopen until the 2003 American-led invasion of Iraq . Since

22192-616: Was briefed on al-Qaeda's activities, but focused on other foreign policy issues during his first months in office. On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airliners and flew two of them into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City , destroying both 110-story skyscrapers. A third plane crashed into Pentagon , and a fourth plane was brought down in Pennsylvania following

22344-757: Was divided into three agencies), the United States Customs Service (which was also divided into separate agencies), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency . The Homeland Security Act represented the most significant departmental reorganization since the National Security Act of 1947 . On October 26, 2001, Bush signed into law the Patriot Act . Passed on the president's request, the act permitted increased sharing of intelligence among

22496-470: Was likely to furnish those WMDs to al-Qaeda; CIA Director George Tenet assured Bush that it was a "slam dunk" that Iraq possessed a stockpile of WMDs. After a U.N. weapons inspections team led by Hans Blix , as well as another team led by Mohamed ElBaradei , failed to find evidence of an ongoing Iraqi WMD program, Bush's proposed regime change in Iraq faced mounting international opposition. Germany, China, France, and Russia all expressed skepticism about

22648-571: Was necessary to ensure its continuing solvency. Bush expected a difficult congressional battle over his proposal, but, as he put it, "I've got political capital, and I intend to spend it." Groups like the AARP strongly opposed the plan, as did moderate Democrats like Max Baucus , who had supported the Bush tax cuts. Ultimately, Bush failed to win the backing of a single congressional Democrat for his plan, and even moderate Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chafee refused to back privatization. In

22800-444: Was not their Sunni neighbors who were killing them but foreign Wahhabis ." Sistani's call for unity after the bombing of the mosque helped to control a potentially dangerous situation, preventing the country from entering in a bloody sectarian war. Sistani did the same when the same mosque was bombed again in 2007. An alleged plot to assassinate Sistani was foiled on January 29, 2007, when three Jund al-Samaa gunmen were captured at

22952-606: Was staunchly opposed to euthanasia and supported Attorney General John Ashcroft's ultimately unsuccessful suit against the Oregon Death with Dignity Act . However, while he was governor of Texas , Bush had signed a law giving hospitals the authority to remove life support from terminally ill patients against the wishes of spouses or parents, if the doctors deemed it as medically appropriate. This perceived inconsistency in policy became an issue in 2005, when Bush signed controversial legislation to initiate federal intervention in

23104-617: Was vetoed by Bush. After the Supreme Court struck down a state sodomy law in the 2003 case of Lawrence v. Texas , conservatives began pushing for the Federal Marriage Amendment , which would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. Bush endorsed this proposal and made it part of his campaign during the 2004 and 2006 election cycles. However, President Bush did break from his party in his tolerance of civil unions for homosexual couples. Bush

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