Prime Minister Blair - Hear! Hear!

Prime Minister Blair made a smashing speech to the U. S. Congress joint session on Thursday! I really enjoyed hearing him on the radio.

Here is a link to the full text:
http://www.number-10.gov.uk/output/Page4220.asp

excerpts:

But precisely because the threat is new, it is not obvious. It turns upside down our concepts of how we should act and when. And it crosses the frontiers of many nations. So just as it redefines our notions of security, so it must refine our notions of diplomacy.

There is no more dangerous theory in international politics today than that we need to balance the power of America with other
competitor powers, different poles around which nations gather. Such a theory made sense in 19 th Century Europe. It was perforce the position in the Cold War.
Today it is an anachronism to be discarded like traditional theories of security.

It is dangerous because it is not rivalry but partnership we need; a common will and a shared purpose in the face of a common threat.
Any alliance must start with America and Europe.
Believe me if Europe and America are together, the others will work with us. But if we split, all the rest will play around, play us off and nothing but mischief will be the result of it.
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We're not fighting for domination.
We're not fighting for an American world, though we want a world in which America is at ease.
We're not fighting for Christianity but against religious fanaticism of all kinds.
This is not a war of civilisations because each civilisation has a unique capacity to enrich the stock of human heritage.

We are fighting for the inalienable right of human kind, black or white, Christian or not, left, right or merely indifferent, to be free.

Free to raise a family in love and hope.
Free to earn a living and be rewarded by your own efforts.
Free not to bend your knee to any man in fear.
Free to be you so long as being you does not
impair the freedom of others.
That's what we're fighting for. And that's a battle worth fighting.
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I know its hard on America. And in some small corner of this vast country in Nevada or Idaho, these places I've never been but always wanted to go, there's a guy getting on with his life, perfectly happily, minding his own business, saying to you the political leaders of this nation: why me? Why us? Why America?

And the only answer is: because destiny put you in this place in history, in this moment in time and the task is yours to do.

And our job, my nation that watched you grow,
that you've fought alongside and now fights alongside you, that takes enormous pride in our alliance and great affection in our common bond, our job is to be there with you.

You're not going to be alone.

We'll be with you in this fight for liberty.

And if our spirit is right, and our courage firm, the world will be with us.

Hear! Hear!
Well said!

 

quote

That line, with the paragraph leading into it , drew a long, vigorous round of applause from the Congress.

If anyone finds an audio link where it can be downloaded, I would like to know. Thanks.