This is a terrific piece on the importance of the Shia cities in the south of Iraq. http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=392810 The difference between Shiite and Sunni is not like, say, the Methodists and the Lutherans. It's much more fundamental. Back when Muhammad died in 622 ad, it was rather sudden. He had made no plans for a successor and he left no instructions. He just checked out. So they picked his best friend, a guy named Abu Bakr, and then a couple other guys, but there was always this feeling among some of the ummah (the community of Islam) that the true Caliph ought to be a descendant of the Prophet, blessed be his name. So when his son-in-law Ali was named the 5th Caliph, (he had no male heirs) many people really considered him the first legitimate Caliph. He got assassinated, however, and another clan named the new guy. (Who, incidentally, moved his capital to Baghdad) So his son, Hussein (also sometimes Hasan) tried to lead a rebellion. He ended up leading 72 guys into battle against 10,000. They were wiped out, but it established the concept of martyrdom deep within the fabric of the Sunnah (bopdy of Muslim tradition, essentially) (Hussein was beheaded and his noggin was paraded around Baghdad. Some Shiites conduct a yearly passion play kind of thing where they cut their own heads until they bleed profusely, in penance for not having been there fighting at Hussein's side) This was the split between Shiite (followers of Ali) and Sunnis. And it actually gets MORE interesting. The predominant body of Shiites are called "Twelver Shia's". They believe that there were only 12 legitimate Caliphs (Ali being the first) until, sometime in the 9th century, the 12th Imam disappeared, as a child. They believe he is actually "hidden" and will return someday. In the meantime, there are special people among us who can communicate with him. These are called Mujtahids, or more commonly in the west "Ayatollahs". So these Shiite leaders are not just clerics or priests of some kind or other. They are actually able to tell us what the hidden Imam wants us to do. It ain't like the Pope praying for guidance. It's more like the Pope getting a holler from God on his cell. So these guys, like the Iraqi guy in Iran mentioned in the piece, carry enormous weight, and what they decide is crucial here. And nothing better happen to Najaf and Karbala.