NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq's top Shi'ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, chastised his country's politicians on Thursday for travelling abroad too often and said they should spend more time at home improving public services.

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"Officials travelling at a time when the Iraqi people urgently need them is improper," a source in the office of the reclusive cleric quoted him as saying.

Many Iraqi politicians, some of whom returned to the Arab country after the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 toppled Saddam Hussein, spend time abroad, either on official business or personal visits to expatriate families.

Iraqis, fed up of violence, electricity shortages and a lack of clean water, often accuse politicians of ignoring their difficulties and of living a life of luxury behind well-guarded walls.

"His Eminence Sistani has insisted that ministers and members of parliament do not travel abroad and instead get in touch with the people," the source said.

Sistani is seen as an important moderating voice in Iraq, where sectarian violence has raised fears of civil war between majority Shi'ites and Sunnis.

source (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060824/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_iraq_travel)

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Do you think they will listen to him or they will listen to the US?

After all Iraq is now a free society so they should enjoy their time abroad.