October 9, 2002
DEMOCRATIC IRAQ:
More Than 11.5 Million Iraqis to Vote in Referendum (Reuters, October 09, 2002)More than 11.5 million Iraqis will cast ballots in a referendum to endorse the presidency of Saddam Hussein for another seven-year term on October 15, Iraq's state radio said on Wednesday.It quoted the Planning Ministry as saying 11.56 million voters would take part in the referendum, which comes as the United States accuses Iraq of seeking arms of mass destruction and calls for Saddam's ouster.
Iraq announced plans for the secret ballot referendum on September 8.
A 1995 referendum was the first such vote in Iraq since it became a republic after a 1958 revolution, which toppled the monarchy.
Government figures showed Saddam in 1995 won 99.96 percent of more than eight million valid votes cast on a turnout of 99.47 percent.
That's the entire story at Reuters site. Does none of that require any explanation or rebuttal?
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 9, 2002 7:09 PM
Good lord, Saddam's even more popular than Mubarak.....
Posted by: Barry Meislin at October 10, 2002 1:39 AMAnd they're both grooming their sons to win with 99.96% of the vote as well. Will coincidences never cease. Since Reuters usually does "terror" in quotes, I would have assumed "votes cast" or "secret ballot" might deserve that special treatment, but I would have been wrong.
Posted by: dave roberts at October 10, 2002 2:19 AM