Rice: Let history judge Iraq war

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, twice shouted down by anti-war protesters who called her a killer, told critics Thursday the verdict on the U.S.-led war in Iraq should be left to history.

“I’m quite aware that there are those who disagree about the decision that we would overthrow Saddam Hussein,” Rice said in response to a university student who cited opinion polls showing more than 60 percent of Australians have a negative view of the U.S. and its foreign policy.

President Bush and his advisers thought that because of Saddam’s behavior and failure of international sanctions to thwart him, “it was time to deal with that situation,” she said.

Rice was twice shouted down by protesters as she spoke to students from several Australian universities gathered at Sydney University’s music school.

“Condoleezza Rice, you’re a war criminal,” a young man shouted minutes after she began her address. “Iraqi blood is on your hands and you can’t wash that blood away,” he repeated until guards led him away.

Rice drew applause with her response: “I’m glad to see that democracy is well and alive at the university,” she said, adding that democracy is now also alive at universities in Kabul, Afghanistan and Baghdad, Iraq.

Gaza City, Gaza Strip

Hamas fails to find coalition partners

Hamas ended coalition talks Thursday after failing to secure a single party as a partner, but said it will form a government on its own – a scenario likely to ensure international isolation for the Islamic militants.

The main sticking point in Palestinian coalition talks has been Hamas’ refusal to recognize a 1988 unilateral Palestinian declaration of independence that included recognition of Israel.

The new Cabinet, to be presented to parliament next week, must also win the approval of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has been telling Hamas, which swept January elections, that it must first renounce violence and accept interim peace accords with Israel.

Keflavik, Iceland

U.S. forces will leave in September

The United States plans to withdraw four Air Force fighter jets and a rescue helicopter squadron from its military base in Iceland by September, a move that will leave the island nation virtually without military defenses and has caused diplomatic tension between the two NATO allies.

Bush administration officials told Icelandic leaders Wednesday that the U.S. would remove the F-15 fighter jets and several helicopters from Naval Air Station Keflavik, a base that has provided for Iceland’s security since 1951 as part of a bilateral agreement.

“We are deeply disappointed over this decision,” said Helgi Agustsson, Iceland’s ambassador to the United States, who said he believed negotiations were moving in the right direction before Washington abruptly told officials in Reykjavik of the plan to withdraw.