BAGHDAD — Iraq’s prime minister said he wants US troops “on their way out” as soon as his government can protect its new democracy. The top American general in the country said he hopes to begin significant withdrawal by next spring. At the same time, in an unannounced visit Wednesday, …

CAIRO — After 24 years as Egyptian president where his grip on power has been almost unchallenged, Hosni Mubarak will have to face up to unprecedented demands for reform if he wins a historic fifth term. Mubarak — one of the longest serving leaders in the Arab world — moved …

PARIS (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with France’s foreign minister Thursday for talks on Israel’s upcoming withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as the two countries tried to forget years of diplomatic tension and enter a new, friendlier period of relations. The morning talks between Sharon and Philippe …