<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=586&e=1&u=/nm/20040928/wl_nm/britain_blair_dc>
Blair Makes Partial Iraq Apology to Win Back Party By Mike Peacock
BRIGHTON, England (Reuters) - Tony Blair (news - web sites) offered his Labour party on Tuesday a partial apology for waging war in Iraq (news - web sites), striving to pull angry supporters behind him ahead of an election next year.
But as two more British soldiers died in Iraq and a hostage remained under threat of death, the prime minister's hopes of drawing a line under two years that have wrecked his public trust ratings are far from secure.
"The evidence about Saddam having actual biological and chemical weapons ... has turned out to be wrong," Blair told Labour's annual conference, his nearest yet to a "mea culpa."
"The problem is I can apologize for the information that turned out to be wrong but I can't, sincerely at least, apologize for removing Saddam," he said. "The world is a better place with Saddam in prison not in power."
Blair's speech was interrupted twice by protesters, one yelling that the prime minister "had blood on his hands," others opposing a planned ban on fox-hunting. They were bundled out of the hall.
IRAQ UNAVOIDABLE
For most of his speech, Blair showcased domestic policies he hopes will deliver him a third term at an election expected in May. But he knew they would not resonate, with the party or the wider public, if he did not tackle Iraq head-on.
Blair made the case for war on the basis Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) possessed banned weapons that were ready to use. The fact none has been found well over a year after major military combat ended has soured British public opinion and many in his party feel betrayed.
"Whatever disagreements we have had, we should unite in our determination to stand by the Iraqi people until the job is done," he said, adding that Britain could not insulate itself from world insecurity even if it wanted to.
"If I don't care and act on this terrorist threat then the day will come when all our good work on the issues that decide people's lives will be undone because the stability on which our economy ... depends will vanish," he said.
The crowd applauded warmly. Skeptics were unconvinced but said the party would unite to win a fresh term in power.
"I don't think this speech changed anything on Iraq," former minister Clare Short, who resigned over the war, told Reuters. "Iraq will go on being a mess but the party wants to win the election and will pull together for that."
Blair acknowledged terrorism would never be defeated unless Israelis and Palestinians were reconciled -- expressing frustration at a lack of progress ahead of U.S. elections.
"After November, I will make its revival a personal priority. Two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in an enduring peace would do more to defeat this terrorism than bullets alone can ever do," he said.
He expressed condolences for the two soldiers killed in Basra on Tuesday and pledged "solidarity" with British engineer Kenneth Bigley, abducted by militants 12 days ago.
Bigley's brother has accused Blair of not doing enough to appeal for his release.
Outside, some 8,000 marchers staged a noisy protest on the seafront of this southern seaside resort against the government's plan to ban the ancient pursuit of fox hunting. The carcasses of two calves and a horse were dumped in the city.
Blair stressed the election could only be won with a radical agenda, not solely by resting on past achievements.
He also offered an olive branch to finance minister Gordon Brown, whose supporters think he should have Blair's job by now.
Referring to incessant talk of a feud between the two, Blair said Brown was "a personal friend for 20 years and the best chancellor this country has ever had."