BRITISH
PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR ADDRESSES US CONGRESS
17 July 2003
In
an acceptance speech for the Congressional Gold Medal,
the nation's highest honor, Blair called on the US
and Europe to recognize their common interests in
promoting freedom, environmental sustainability and
prosperity. He framed the war against Iraq within
the war against terrorism, a "virus" which
he says seeks to use chaos as its key weapon. There
was no mention of the intelligence issues currently
embattling both his government and the Bush administration.
He firmly asserted that the US has been placed at
this point in history in a leadership role, and that
with that destiny comes the obligation to promote
true humanitarian values. He added that this special
leadership should be conducted through a "partnership
built on persuasion, not command".
