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Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani now says it will be impossible to stop the spread of civil war

The most influential moderate Shia leader in Iraq has abandoned attempts to restrain his followers, admitting that there is nothing he can do to prevent the country sliding towards civil war.

Aides say Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is angry and disappointed that Shias are ignoring his calls for calm and are switching their allegiance in their thousands to more militant groups which promise protection from Sunni violence and revenge for attacks.

"I will not be a political leader any more," he told aides. "I am only happy to receive questions about religious matters."

Mcjoan is right. Although it should have been done long ago, we absolutely must begin planning for what comes next. The idea of American troops serving as some sort of arbiter or referee in a bloody civil war is ludicrous.