Iraq war was vital for Britain's security: Blair

[sabra]

http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=55352

Iraq war was vital for Britain's security: Blair


London, September 25: Asserting that invading Iraq was vital for UK's security, Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday said British forces will remain in the war-torn country until peace is restored.

Coinciding with the Labour party conference at Brighton, the Prime Minister, in an interview to BBC's Sunday AM programme, admitted that the struggle against insurgents in Iraq had been tougher than he expected.

"I didn't expect quite the same ferocity from every single element in the Middle East that came in and was doing their best to disrupt the political process," he said.

Speaking for the first time since two SAS officers were handed to militants by Iraqi police in Basra, he said, "There is no arbitrary date that's being set and the allies are all in exactly the same position".