| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq-Jordan |
| Blair on surprise Baghdad visit |
| 2004-12-21 |
| Tony Blair has held talks with Iraqi leaders in Baghdad during the UK prime minister's first trip to the city. He was briefed on preparations for the national poll, which is scheduled for next month but is threatened by a deadly campaign of insurgent violence. "There is only one side to be on in what is very clearly a battle between democracy and terror," Mr Blair said. He flew to Baghdad's Green Zone administrative centre in a convoy of helicopter gunships from the airport. Mr Blair wore a dark civilian suit for the trip. He wore no flak jacket, unlike the military officials and journalists who accompanied him. After talks in the Green Zone with Mr Allawi, he met UK and US officials, and members of Iraq's Electoral Commission whom he praised for risking their lives "to make sure the people of Iraq get a chance to decide their own destiny". "I said to them that I thought they were the heroes of the new Iraq," he said. 'Inclusive' elections Mr Blair has invested great political capital on a successful political process to lead Iraq out of the current violent crisis. He told a news conference that he hoped all Iraqis would take part in next month's elections "on an inclusive basis". "The danger people feel here is coming from the terrorists and insurgents who are trying to stop the country from becoming a democracy," he said. Mr Allawi, for his part, said the interim government was committed to holding the elections as scheduled, despite calls for a delay because of the violence. "We now are on the verge, for the first time in history, of having democracy in action in this country," the Iraqi leader added. Mr Allawi has accused insurgents, who bombed Shia Muslim targets on Sunday killing nearly 70 people, of trying to bring about ethnic and religious conflicts in Iraq. "Our enemies are determined to break our will...," he said. "We will not allow them to prevail." Threat of violence In the latest violence the US launched an air strike on the town of Hit, in a Sunni Muslim region west of Baghdad, killing six people and wounding 10, according to hospital officials. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 Tony the tiger comes through! The UK has faced its share of menacing barbarians who tried to blow them into dust. 2004 Brass Ones Award goes to Tony |
| Posted by: Capt America 2004-12-21 1:13:01 PM |