And all of that has arisen out of this action and what you did.”BBC radio interview, 31 May 2003Interviewer: But at the moment, the people are worse off, aren’t they? The disorder on the streets, the facilities such as electricity and water. And you can see it, too, in the Middle East peace process, in what is happening in Israel and Palestine, where, for the first time in several years, there is just the beginning of the hope of a different way forward for the future. And it is interesting to me to talk, for example, to the leaders of the Gulf countries, most recently last night in Kuwait, and see the changes that they can see happening in their countries as a result of the removal of Saddam’s dictatorship from Iraq. “You can see in relation to countries like Syria and Iran, where we have still got big issues we need to discuss with them and resolve with them, and yet we can do that now in a completely different atmosphere than was possible a few months ago. We will continue to provide immediate humanitarian aid, and we will help with longer-term projects.”Joint press conference with President Bush, 8 April 2003″On WMD, we know that the regime has them, we know that as the regime collapses we will be led to them.

Then, Coalition forces will make the country safe, and will work with the UN to help Iraq get back on its feet. That is already starting to happen in those parts of your country that have been liberated But you want to know that we will stay to get the job done You want to know that Saddam will be gone I assure you: he will be. “For the first time in 25 years, you will be free from the shadow of Saddam and can look forward to a new beginning for your families and your country. A peaceful, prosperous Iraq that will be run by and for the Iraqi people.

Not by America, not by Britain, not by the UN ­ though all of us will help ­ but by you, the people of Iraq. We are in Iraq for a particular reason, and this is not a war against Iraq It is a war against Saddam. It is a war against Saddam because of the WMD that he has, and it is a war against Saddam because of what he has done to the Iraqi people. To people who are brutally oppressed, to people who have no proper democratic rights, to people whose wealth he has plundered while he and his sons live in palaces and lead a wealthy lifestyle, the rest of the population ­ 60 per cent of them ­ are dependent on food aid, even though Iraq is a rich country.Message to the Iraqi people, 8 April 2003″As soon as Saddam Hussein’s regime falls, the work to build a new, free and united Iraq will begin. As Dr Blix said in his report to the Security Council earlier this week, he is not doing that. And therefore, what is important is that the international community comes together again and makes it absolutely clear that this is unacceptable.”Interview with BBC World Service, 4 April 2003Interviewer: “Many callers ask, if you are today in Iraq, who next?Tony Blair: There is no question of who next. And I think it really repays rereading that, because we said very clearly that Saddam had a final opportunity to disarm, and that he had to co-operate fully in every respect with the UN weapons inspectors.