DAMASCUS, Syria -- President Bashar Assad won another seven years in office, getting 97 percent of the vote in a referendum on his leadership in which he was the only candidate, according to results announced Tuesday.

The United States sarcastically noted Assad's "ability to have defeated exactly zero other candidates."

Assad's regime is under intense international scrutiny, accused of meddling in Iraq, supporting Palestinian militant groups, and involvement in the assassination of Lebanon's former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005. Under his rule, Syrian troops were forced to withdraw from Lebanon following an outcry over Hariri's killing.

Still hundreds of thousands of Syrians in white caps and T-shirts bearing Assad's picture beat drums and danced in the streets of Damascus to celebrate the result. They also swarmed outside the presidential palace to congratulate the president.

Victory celebrations in Syria have been going on ever since parliament, which is dominated by a pro-government Baathist coalition, unanimously nominated the 42-year-old leader on May 10 for another term.

Interior Minister Bassam Abdul-Majid said 95 percent of the country's almost 12 million voters turned out at the polls in Sunday's presidential vote. Only 19,635 voters said "no" to Assad's re-election, while 253,000 ballots were considered invalid.
WHDH-TV - World News - Syria's President Bashar Assad overwhelmingly wins second term in vote with no opponent

LOL.......what more is there to say.

Have a good one!:s4:
Psycho4Bud Reviewed by Psycho4Bud on . Syria's President Bashar Assad overwhelmingly wins second term in vote with no oppone DAMASCUS, Syria -- President Bashar Assad won another seven years in office, getting 97 percent of the vote in a referendum on his leadership in which he was the only candidate, according to results announced Tuesday. The United States sarcastically noted Assad's "ability to have defeated exactly zero other candidates." Assad's regime is under intense international scrutiny, accused of meddling in Iraq, supporting Palestinian militant groups, and involvement in the assassination of Rating: 5