Tony Blair Secure In Green Zone Visit

BAGHDAD – GREEN ZONE (BBC News) May 21 — Mr Blair’s arrival in Baghdad from Kuwait was shrouded in secrecy, and comes amid continuing violence. Two blasts this morning claimed at least five lives.

The new government was sworn in on Saturday and Mr Maliki vowed to use all means necessary, including “maximum force”, to restore security. The new government has vowed to crack down on terrorism – but key ministries still remain unfilled.

Blair: “It has been longer and harder than any of us would have wanted it to be …

Three Iraqis standing on a bridge look down as one of them pours petrol onto a burning British military vehicle after a roadside bomb attack which slightly wounded two British soldiers in Basra, Iraq. AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani

Mr Blair said it had taken “three years of struggle” to reach the formation of a government. “For the first time, we have a government of national unity that crosses all boundaries and divides, that is there for a four-year term and [is] directly elected by the votes of millions of Iraqi people.”

… Mr Maliki denied there was a civil war – only “groups committing terrorism”.

Security risk

This is the second time the British prime minister has visited Baghdad’s heavily-fortified Green Zone, and he is the first world leader to visit the new government.

● Blair’s Joint Statement & Press Conference

MILWAUKEE (AP) May 22 — Those who count the increasing number of American soldiers killed in Iraq are missing the bigger picture, retired Gen. Tommy Franks said.

“What we’re talking about is neither 2,400, 24,000 or 240,000 lives,” Franks said at the National Rifle Association’s annual banquet. “Terrorism is a thing that threatens our way of life. It doesn’t have anything to do with politics.”

Franks: "We have to secure ourselves. We have to secure our Constitution."