Bush, Blair vow to 'get Iraq job done'

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair and US President George Bush yesterday vowed not to waiver in their fight to build a free Iraq, despite recent bloodshed which has seen scores of coalition casualties.

The two leaders, standing side by side in the Rose Garden of the White House, said they would keep their word to the Iraqi people and see the job through.

Mr Blair promised: "We will stay there and we will get the job done because that's what we promised to do. We will continue until it's finished."

The two leaders also made it plain they believed Israeli premier Ariel Sharon's recent announcement of a planned withdrawal of Israeli settlement from the Gaza Strip, combined with a determination to reinforce those in the West Bank, did not mark the end of the Middle East road map to peace.

Mr Bush called the initiative a "fantastic opportunity" and Mr Blair said it was part of a process which could lead to the road map's goal of two states living peacefully side by side.

Mr Blair said the mission in Iraq was to take a state that, under Saddam Hussein, had been "a merciless tyranny" and help its transformation into a stable and peaceful democracy.

He said that would make Iraq "a symbol of hope to its own people and throughout the Middle East".

He went on: "Against us in this task are ranged every variety of reactionary forces." He said Britain and America would stand up for the majority of the Iraqi people, adding: "It was never going to be easy and it isn't now."

Mr Bush promised: "Iraq will be free. Iraq will be independent. Iraq will be a peaceful nation and we will not waiver in the face of fear and intimidation."

He conceded: "The past few weeks have been hard and those ahead will surely bring further challenges."