Blair, who has faced strong criticism over US President George W. Bush's state visit to Britain, told the House of Commons that Britain was working with the United States to get a “programme for proper democratic accountability and elections in Iraq” so that Iraqis could be self-governing by mid 2004, with a constitution being drawn up in “due course”.

“None of that would be possible unless Saddam Hussein had actually been deposed,”Blair said, adding that the fight against international terrorism was another priority. An unidentified person was ejected from the Public Gallery in the Commons after shouting “he's a war criminal, he's a war criminal” just as Blair was discussing Bush's visit.

The Prime Minister referred to recent attacks against the United Nations and Red Cross in Iraq, as well as bombings in Saudi Arabia and last weekend's strike against synagogues in Turkey.

“The people who are killing people in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, other parts of this world, in these appalling acts of terrorism, they aren't the British, they aren't the Americans, they are these appalling terrorists linked to some of these appalling regimes,” Blair said.
Bureau Report