Talabani Wants New Title

Baghdad, Iraq: Jalal bin Hussam-a-Din al-Talabani, the president of Iraq in a government where the Prime Minister is far more powerful, has asked the Iraqi Parliament to grant him a new title which would encourage him to work harder. The new proposed title is "the custodian of the two holy shrines" in reference to Najaf and Karbala, is expected to be approved by Shi'a MPs because that lessens the significance of the same title held by the king of Saudi Arabia. Kurdish MPs are also expected to approve the new title. While Sunni MPs have expressed disagreement over the proposal, a spokesperson from Talabani's office simply stated, "who cares about them?"

Jalal Talabani is a Sufi of the Qadiri order and so such a title is not fit for him, but he told reporters that "the idea was too good to pass."

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