Shiites rally against SOFA

BAGHDAD, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- Shiite elites in Iraq expressed concerns and condemnations over the Status of Forces Agreement with Washington, Iranian media reports said Friday.

Sattar al-Batat, a Shiite cleric loyal to Moqtada Sadr, called on supporters at a rally in the Baghdad slum of Sadr City to examine the language of the agreement to form an opinion based on the best scenario for the country, the Iranian Press TV reported.

"Will they agree to the complete immunity for American soldiers to do whatever they wish without accountability, or to use Iraq to strike the neighbors of Iraq?" he asked.

Washington says it had reviewed Iraqi amendments to the bilateral security arrangement that will provide legal cover to U.S. military forces in Iraq once the current U.N. mandate expires at the end of December.

Meanwhile, Sheik Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai, a senior adviser to the revered Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, said the agreement requires the approval of the Iraqi people or perhaps a council of top religious leaders before taking force.