Blair pledges to stand by US

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday promised to remain America's closest ally, but urged the US to "listen back" to the international community and embrace a broader world agenda.

Mr Blair said the price of British influence over the White House was not "that we have, obediently, to do whatever the US asks" and promised he would never commit British troops "to a war I thought was wrong or unnecessary".

Mr Blair highlighted weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as the key issue facing the world community today warning it was only "a matter of time" before terrorists acquired a nuclear capability.