17 December 2006
The Prime Minister has insisted Britain stands "four-square" behind Iraq in its battle to defeat terrorists and support democracy.
Tony Blair added that all countries in the Middle East should "make sure the forces of terrorism don’t defeat the will of the people to have a democracy."
He said:
"… we will continue to support you all the way in that endeavour which is important for Iraq, important for the region and important for the world."
The Prime Minister was speaking at a joint press conference in Baghdad with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki.
He said that British forces would remain in Iraq "until the job is done" and that the handover of power to Iraqi forces in Basra was "going well."
"Our policy is that as the Iraqi forces are capable of taking over control of the city of Basra so our forces stand back and go to a support role."
Mr Blair then went on to visit some of the 7,000 UK troops based in southern Iraq. He told them that "our country and countries like it are having to rediscover what it means to fight for what we believe in."
"All over the world the same struggle is going on and if we don’t stand up and fight for the people of tolerance and moderation who want to live together, whatever their fate, then the people of hatred and sectarianism will triumph."
The Prime Minister, who is currently on an extensive tour of the Middle East, has visited British troops in Iraq every Christmas since the 2003 conflict.
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