Iraq To Invite Monitors For Rubber-Stamp Vote

Iraq said it will invite 20,000 foreign lawmakers and journalists to monitor next month’s referendum on approving Saddam Hussein as president for seven years.

The official Iraqi News Agency did not elaborate, except to say parliamentarians from Kuwait and Israel would not be invited.

Saddam came to power in 1979 and there has been no presidential election in Iraq since. A referendum will be held Oct. 15 to approve his leadership for another seven years.

Iraq’s rubber-stamp parliament last week approved Saddam as the only candidate.