23 December 2005
Tony Blair spoke about UK troops overseas and their role in the fight against terrorism.
Question and answer session
Question:
Prime Minister, can we begin with the British Forces’ contribution in Iraq. It has been a bit of a mixed year with positives in the high levels of turn-out for the Iraqi elections, but on the downside there has been number of British soldiers who have died as a result of insurgent attacks. What are your hopes for 2006, and can we expect to see any reduced commitment in troop levels?
Tony Blair:
First of all I would like to pay tribute to the work the troops have done in Iraq which has been extraordinary and magnificent, and the very fact that we have had the first ever democratic election in Iraq is down in many ways to them and the contribution that they have made. And the importance of it is very simple. The reason why the insurgents and the terrorists, outside powers are trying to stop us establishing democracy in Iraq is because if we do establish it, it sort of destroys the whole myth that is at the foundation of international global terrorism which is that the purpose of the West is to suppress Moslem countries, and if Iraq becomes, as it should be, a Moslem country still but also a democratic country, then that is of inestimable worth in the whole fight against global terrorism. So it is very, very important indeed.
It has been difficult because we have lost soldiers, sadly, in the course of helping in Iraq. I very much hope, obviously, that if we get a good strong stable government after the Iraqi elections and we are building up the capability of the Iraqi forces, then that allows us to draw down. When exactly I cannot say at this moment but I hope we will be able to say something about that in the New Year.
Question:
And in the New Year there is also going to be the challenge of Afghanistan where it seems almost certain there is going to be an increased role for British forces out there. Are you hopeful that they can make a real difference out there and are you satisfied that other NATO nations, and indeed other UK Government Departments, can achieve this synergy that you need to really achieve those aspirations?
Tony Blair:
I think so. We have always said that we would take over the leadership of the International Security Force in Afghanistan in 2006, so this is very much something that has been predicted over a number of years actually and there is a rolling leadership that Britain takes on from time to time, and that will mean an increased involvement in Afghanistan in 2006. But it is also, again, incredibly important. I mean Afghanistan now has a democratically elected President and Government. Again the same type of terrorism that we see in Iraq wants to disrupt that process because they used to use Afghanistan as their base when the Taliban were in power, and it is therefore important that we succeed. And yes, the other NATO countries are making a real contribution and of course the Americans still have the largest number of troops there.
Question:
And is there a real need for British troops to go down South to a more dangerous area, which is something which has been predicted?
Tony Blair:
I mean I think the important thing when we take on the leadership is that in each of the areas we are also building up the Afghan capability. The basic strategy in these countries which have been totally failed states, not just deeply repressive of their people, but are threatening the outside world whether through Iraq or through Afghanistan, the important thing is that we give a democratic process, that is the political side, and militarily that we build up the indigenous capability of the Iraqi or Afghan people, to have their own security, and in the case of Afghanistan it is obviously important because we need to tackle also the drugs trade that is still there and that was built up over the Taliban years and we have got to try and make sure that the Afghans therefore have the capability of running their own security and that matters in the South as much as in the other places in the North.
Question:
And finally, British Forces’ viewers and listeners are going to be hearing and seeing this broadcast all over the world at Christmas. Some of them obviously at home with their families, others quite pointedly away from their loved ones at this special time of year, have you got a particular message for them?
Tony Blair:
Well the message is just one of immense gratitude and I don’t think that is just on behalf of Britain but on behalf of the whole of the international community. The work that we are doing in Iraq and obviously in Afghanistan that we have been talking about, but also in the Balkans, in Sierra Leone, in many different places in the world where, without the input of British troops, there would be a threat to international security and the thing about today’s world is that where you get a real problem in a country that has become a failed state, the problems never remain within the boundaries of that country.
That is the world we live in today, and therefore the input of British troops who I think most people regard as the finest, or amongst the finest, troops in the world, and who people really rely on. Everywhere you go people say, whenever they work in collaboration, we want to work with the Brits rather than anyone else. You know their contribution is just immense. I know some of these decisions are very difficult, and sometimes very controversial and I think that probably makes it harder sometimes for people to understand the sacrifices that are being made, but it is of central importance that none of these problems can be resolved without strong and determined armed forces, and ours are just magnificent.
Question:
Prime Minister, thank you very much.
Tony Blair:
Thank you.
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