KAGAN: We go live now to Baghdad. These are members of Iraq's interim government talking about the situation in Najaf.</s>KAGAN: We've been listening in to a news conference from Baghdad. These are members of the Iraqi interim government talking about the difficult situation taking place in Najaf, in the southern part of the country, with the standoff with the Mehdi Army representing and fighting for the cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr. You heard members of the government calling on people there to respect and withdraw the holy Shiite shrine of the Shrine of the Imam Ali, where many of the fighters are holed up there, and taking advantage of many of the caves and parts of the cemetery in order to fight U.S. and Iraqi forces. Also calling on the opposition to lay down their arms and join the political process. Muqtada Al-Sadr, for one, has made it clear he does not intend to do that, that he intends to fight until he is killed, until he wins, or until he is arrested, which would basically make him a martyr. Meanwhile, while we were listening to the news conference, word coming out of the United Nations, the Security Council today unanimously voting to approve a resolution that would extend the U.S. mission in Iraq for at least another year. How significant a role the U.N. would play, though, in Iraq is unclear at this time. Clearly a lot of news coming out of Iraq, right here in the U.S. as well today. We're going to get to more of that, as well as the latest on the weather systems that are headed toward Florida. We'll do that after this break.
Members of Iraq's Interim Government Talk About Situation in Najaf