Tony Blair, from a news conference yesterday with Ehud Olmert:

“I don’t think it has ever been a mistake to stand shoulder to shoulder with America in the aftermath of 9/11, and I think a strong relationship between the United States President and the Prime Minister of the UK is important too.” Blair continued: “And I will tell you something very, very simple about all this. I see the world in these terms, and for me this is non-negotiable because I believe it deeply, I think we face a global threat based on this global terrorism, I think it threatens not just the stability of this region but of the wider world, I think there is a link between 9/11, what happened on 7 July last year in London, what happened in Madrid, what happens in the terrorism right round this region, what is happening today in Iraq and Afghanistan where we are trying to help democratic governments, elected by their people, be free and liberated from terrorism. I think these things are together and however difficult it is and however unpopular it may have been, I will continue to stand up for an alliance of people who believe in peace, and tolerance, and democracy, against those who believe in terrorism. There is no bigger or more important struggle in the world today.”