- News>
- World
Blair defends close ties with US, handling of Iraq situation
London, Nov 19: Prime Minister Tony Blair today defended Britain`s close relationship with the United States and the coalition`s handling of the situation in Iraq.
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
“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