PM proud of commitment to Iraq

22 February 2007

Tony Blair says Britain is supporting democracy over terrorism in Iraq and should not apologise for its work there.

He told BBC Radio 4 that extremists trying to thwart Iraq's democracy were to blame for the security situation.

• See our Iraq section

The PM said:

"I don't think we should be apologising at all for what we are doing in Iraq. We're trying to support the democrats against the terrorists.

"(The terrorism) is being caused by internal extremists who are linking up with external extremists. And 80-90 per cent of that violence is in or around Baghdad and it's being caused deliberately in order to stop the government of Iraq - which 12 million people voted for - from functioning.

"Although the situation is terrible...we should be immensely proud of the work we are doing to try to help Iraq get on its feet and be the country its people want it to be."

• Listen to the interview in full (new window)

Mr Blair told MPs yesterday that 1600 British troops were being withdrawn from Basra, with others moving into a support role.

• PM's parliamentary statement