[JURIST] US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice [official profile] on Tuesday accused the international community of failing to live up to its obligations to help bring Saddam Hussein [JURIST news archive] to justice, saying the "effective boycott of Saddam's trial is only harming the Iraqi people". Although Rice did not name specific countries in her speech [transcript; recorded video; recorded audio] at the Heritage Foundation, she expressed sadness that many European states had declined to cooperate due to their opposition to the death penalty. Rice argued that all states who have "expressed their devotion to human rights and the rule of law have a special obligation to help the Iraqis bring to justice one of the world’s most murderous tyrants." Hussein's trial [JURIST news archive], plagued by interruptions, outbursts and violent killings [JURIST reports], has been adjourned until December 21 [JURIST report] allowing a break for Thursday's Iraqi elections [JURIST news archive]. Hussein and his co-defendants are charged with murder, torture, forced expulsions and illegal imprisonment stemming from the 1982 massacre in Dujail [JURIST report] and could face the death penalty if found guilty by the Iraqi High Criminal Court (formerly the Iraqi Special Tribunal [official website]). Reuters has more.