An intriguing report from "Al Dostoor" that the former interim Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has met with figures from the Association of Muslim Scholars and the Iraqi Islamic Party, and done a deal whereby in exchange for the Sunni support in a new run for the premiership Allawi will work towards the American withdrawal, will stop de-Baathification, and will go easy on "the resistance." Not that in Iraq you can trust official reports, much less anonymous sources. A few days ago, I mentioned that Ayatollah Sistani has released a statement against federalism. Our special correspondent Haider Aijina now informs me that Sistani has released another statement denying he has ever made the first statement (link in Arabic here ).…