I heard Muqtada As-Sadr speaking on AlArabiyya today. He is still a bad speaker, but appears to act like an elder statesperson. He is now mediating between the Sunni Islamic `Ulama Grouping and the Badr Militia (oh, ya: there are legal (US approved) militias in Iraq, not to be confused with unapproved illegal militias). When asked about the future Iraqi constitution, As-Sadr said that there is no need for a constitution: "there is the Qur'an." If this guy comes to power, his republic will look like a Shi`ite version of Saudi Arabia.