IRAQI VOTERS SPOILED FOR CHOICE

Boy, the political scene in Iraq sure has changed of late:

Back in the days of Saddam Hussein, Iraqi voters had one choice on their ballot. Now, with more than 7,600 candidates on various political slates vying for 275 four-year seats on the Council of Representatives, voters are spoiled for choice. Every night in recent weeks, debates featuring Shiite Muslim, Sunni Arab and Kurdish candidates, with TV journalists as hosts, have been broadcast across Iraq from studios in Baghdad.

And the TV discussion is apparently very civilized, except when the Saddam trial is on.