"I would never commit British troops to a war I thought was wrong or unnecessary. But the price of influence is that we do not leave the US to face the tricky issues alone.
"By tricky, I mean the ones which people wish weren't there, don't want to deal with and, if I can put it a little pejoratively, know the US should confront, but want the luxury of criticising them for it....
"I am not surprised by anti-Americanism, but it is a foolish indulgence... For all their faults--and all nations have them--the US is a force for good."
Tony Blair, quoted in the Guardian (January 8th, 2003),