Millions of Iraqis are taking to the polls today to vote in a referendum on whether or not to give Saddam Hussein another seven years in office.

There will be no candidates on the ballot, no party ticket to choose from — there won’t even be a question. People will simply be asked to mark one of two boxes: yes or no. The last time a referendum was held on the Iraqi leader was in 1995, when he received 99.96% yes votes. With great candor, Iraqi politicians predict a slight increase in support from 7 years ago.

“When every Iraqi says yes to President Saddam Hussein, it’s a challenge to the American administration, and to the Israelis, and to the British Government,” Iraqi MP Al Adhami told Iraq Journal. “We refuse your aggression, your threat. And we will vote for Saddam Hussein, which means we will vote for our future.”

Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill and filmmaker Jacquie Soohen filed this exclusive report for on the referendum. This is the fourth installment in our Iraq Journal series.

Tape:

• Jeremy Scahill, Democracy Now! correspondent in Baghdad.

Related link:

• Iraq Journal