Shia versus Shia

"I was very busy finishing up the project in Boston last week, and on Friday I flew to London to see my parents and some relatives for a much needed break. On Saturday I saw my uncle, who is married to a relative of Abdul Aziz al Hakim. In addition to telling some very funny jokes, my father and uncle discussed the current situation in Iraq. My uncle believes that Maliki's attack on the Mehdi army was a good thing. “They need to take on the militias” he said. My father disagreed - he believes that Hakim and his supporters were trying to marginalize the Sadrists before the provincial elections."
Iraqi Mojo

"Some believe that Iraq will need decades to evolve into a secular society."

The US has not been able to achieve that in over two hundred years. What makes you think Iraqis are so different?

I guess I agree with the former. That is why I believe you have to build strong institutions. Institutions can out live personalities. And I don't see that happening in Iraq.