Blair: No cutting and running from Iraq

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday insisted there would be “no cutting and running” from Iraq.

"We are not going to have any so-called quick exit. There will be no cutting and running. We will continue until the job is done."

However, the coalition has made it clear it wants to speed up the process of putting Iraq's future back into the hands of Iraqis.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said a weekend of hectic diplomatic activity had seen fresh confidence that a new UN resolution sanctioning the handover of sovereignty in Iraq by June 30 would be agreed soon.

It was clear, he said, the Iraqi interim government would be "fully sovereign".

And in a sign that Britain will announce more troops, Mr Blair's spokesman said: "Our troop announcement will be part of this drive towards a coherent joint strategy of the twin track."

"The choice we have, not just as the coalition, but as the world community, is do we want Iraq a country wrecked and degraded for decades under Saddam Hussein have we got the will to see it through to a country that is stable and democratic and operates in the best interests of the majority of the Iraqi people?

"My answer is we have the will, we have the leadership to do it, we will get the job done and will continue until the job is done."