Road map changed to mollify Shi’ites

A NEW American plan to hand sovereignty back to Iraqis will be changed after objections from the country’s most revered Shi’ite Muslim leader, the head of Iraq’s Governing Council said yesterday.

The US-installed council’s leader said the plan would be modified to ensure a central role for Islam and to take account of the cleric’s wish that a planned transitional assembly be elected directly.

There was no immediate comment from Washington, which said earlier it would send thousands more Marines to Iraq next year to fight insurgents it blames for attacks on American-led occupying forces.