Results 1-20 of 785 for iraq speaker:Tony Blair

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (27 Jun 2007) has video

Tony Blair: ...me in sending our deep condolences to the family and friends of Major Paul Harding of the 1st Battalion the Rifles, and Corporal John Rigby of the 4th Battalion the Rifles, both of whom died in Iraq; and Drummer Thomas Wright, of the 1st Battalion the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment. All three of them were outstanding soldiers and will be deeply missed. Mr. Speaker, since...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Iraq (27 Jun 2007) has video

Tony Blair: The numbers of UK forces in Iraq depend on the conditions in Iraq. The numbers of forces have come down from 9,000 to 7,000 to 5,500. When, in the next few weeks, we are able to complete a further phased withdrawal, they will come down even further, but they must come down as and when the security conditions allow. We have already handed over responsibility for several provinces that used to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Iraq (27 Jun 2007) has video

Tony Blair: I am afraid I do not, for the reasons that I have often given. What is important is that those people who are fighting us in Iraq, who are either backed by elements in the Iranian regime and who are using terrorism to try to kill our troops, or al-Qaeda up in Baghdad who are using the most evil carnage through terrorist bombs to kill as many innocent civilians as they possibly can—those...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Iraq (27 Jun 2007) has video

Tony Blair: ...we do our level best to meet them. Our troops are, in fact, extremely well equipped. However, the hon. Lady is right in this sense—that it is important that we judge when it is right to leave Iraq in relation to the security circumstances. The fact is that Basra is different from Baghdad. Most of the attacks that happen now in Basra are aimed at British troops; the sectarian levels...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Iraq (27 Jun 2007) has video

Tony Blair: I thank my right hon. Friend for that. It is important to emphasise that, even as we try to deal with the new situation in Iraq, which is about terrorism visited on the country in substantial part by outside elements, we should never forget the hundreds of thousands of people who died in Iraq under Saddam, including those who died through the use of chemical weapons, or, indeed, the 1 million...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (20 Jun 2007)

Tony Blair: ...the whole House will want to join me in paying tribute to Lance-Corporal James Cartwright of Badger Squadron, 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, who died in a vehicle accident while on active operation in Iraq on Saturday night. We send our sympathy and condolences to his family and friends. The whole House will be sad to learn of the death of Piara Khabra, who passed away yesterday. As his many...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (20 Jun 2007)

Tony Blair: The position on Iraq was the position of the whole Government. I happen to believe that removing Saddam was the right thing to do, as is standing up against those people who would by terrorism prevent democracy from flourishing in Iraq. I pay tribute to the support provided by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor. It is important that those fighting us in Iraq understand that our position on...

Prime Minister: Engagements (13 Jun 2007)

Tony Blair: ...a magnificent and heroic job in fighting the Taliban. Our condolences also go to the family and friends of Corporal Rodney Wilson from 4th Battalion the Rifles, who was killed last week in Iraq on a search and detention patrol. As the House may know, he showed immense bravery under fire to help his colleagues. We pay tribute to all of them, and to those who are still serving our armed...

Prime Minister: Engagements (6 Jun 2007)

Tony Blair: Sometimes, the best people to speak about Iraq are the elected politicians there. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the press conference—which, unsurprisingly, was not covered—that the President of Iraq gave here a few weeks ago. He said that however difficult the situation because of the terrorists, we should never forget what it was like under Saddam and that, if terrorists try to...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (23 May 2007)

Tony Blair: ...the whole House will once again wish to join me in sending our profound sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Corporal Jeremy Brookes of 4th Battalion the Rifles, who was killed in Iraq this week by a terrorist bomb. He and others before him died working towards a safer, more secure world and we pay tribute to him. This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and...

Written Answers — Prime Minister: Iraq: Weapons (14 May 2007)

Tony Blair: These matters have been examined during the course of the Butler Review and other inquiries, and covered during debates and statements on Iraq and in briefings by my Official Spokesman. All relevant information has been placed in the public domain in as far as that could be done without prejudicing national security.

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (9 May 2007)

Tony Blair: ...1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, who was killed in Afghanistan last Thursday, and Private Kevin Thompson from 19 Combat Service Support Battalion, who died at the weekend from injuries sustained in Iraq. Once again, we salute their courage and their sacrifice. Finally, I am sure the House would also wish to send our condolences and sympathy to the family and friends of PC Richard Gray, who...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (9 May 2007)

Tony Blair: I am afraid that I do not agree with that. Let me say this about what has happened, particularly in the last two or three years in Iraq; it is important that people understand it. What is happening in Iraq is essentially that al-Qaeda on the one hand and elements of the Iranian regime on the other are backing terrorism in that country, the purpose of which is to destroy the prospect of that...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (9 May 2007)

Tony Blair: ...in saying what he has just said, and why, if there are voices across the Atlantic saying it, I disagree with them as well. The fact is that the people who are in the best position to judge are the Iraqis themselves. They have a proper democratically elected Government today, and there is a unanimous view among all sections in Iraq—Sunnis, Shi'as and Kurds—and the people they...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (2 May 2007)

Tony Blair: ...I again have the sad duty of asking the House to join me in sending our profound condolences to the family and friends of Rifleman Paul Donnachie of the 2nd Battalion the Rifles, who was killed in Iraq at the weekend. We pay tribute to him for his dedication and sacrifice. This has been a difficult month for our forces in Iraq, and more so for their families. We send them our thoughts,...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (2 May 2007)

Tony Blair: The responsibility for everything to do with the conduct of the Iraq war is, of course, taken by the Government. The points that my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashfield (Mr. Hoon) made about deba'athification and the disbandment of the army are points that I have made before. However, let me just say to the right hon. and learned Gentleman that the reason why things are so challenging...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (2 May 2007)

Tony Blair: If the right hon. and learned Gentleman's policy had been implemented, Saddam Hussein and his two sons would still be running Iraq. [ Interruption. ] Yes they would. Hundreds of thousands of people died in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. We removed Saddam. We are fighting terrorism now in Iraq. Our troops are there with the United Nations mandate and the full support of the Iraqi Government. It...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (25 Apr 2007)

Tony Blair: ...wish once again to join me in sending our profound condolences to the families and friends of Corporal Ben Leaning and Trooper Kristen Turton of The Queen's Royal battlegroup, who were killed in Iraq last Thursday, and Kingsman Alan Jones of the 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, killed in Iraq on Monday. Those young men were brave and committed soldiers; they died in the...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (18 Apr 2007)

Tony Blair: ...my engagements, I know that the whole House will again wish to join me in sending our profound condolences to the families and friends of those of our service personnel who were killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Easter recess. They were: Kingsman Danny Wilson of the 2nd Battalion, the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment; Rifleman Aaron Lincoln of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles;...

Oral Answers to Questions — Prime Minister: Engagements (14 Mar 2007)

Tony Blair: I simply dispute that we are failing in our duty of care towards our soldiers. Our soldiers are doing a magnificent job in Iraq. They are doing a necessary job for our security and the security of the wider world. I have to say, even though the hon. Gentleman and I may disagree strongly over the issue of Iraq, it is completely wrong for people to undermine the morale of our armed forces by...