Blair accepts 'disaster' in Iraq Downing Street said Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented Tony Blair has publicly accepted that the violence in Iraq since the US-led invasion in 2003 has been a disaster. The prime minister's remark came during an interview with Sir David Frost on the new al-Jazeera English-language Arabic TV channel.
The Liberal Democrats have seized on his comment saying he has finally accepted the enormity of his decision to go to war in Iraq.
But Downing Street has insisted that Mr Blair's views have been misrepresented.
Mr Blair made the remark when he was challenged by Sir David that the Western intervention in Iraq had "so far been pretty much of a disaster".
He replied: "It has, but you see what I say to people is why is it difficult in Iraq?
"It's not difficult because of some accident in planning, it's difficult because there's a deliberate strategy - al-Qaeda with Sunni insurgents on one hand, Iranian-backed elements with Shia militias on the other - to create a situation in which the will of the majority for peace is displaced by the will of the minority for war."
Disingenuous
The remark came after the Trade Minister Margaret Hodge was reported to have told a meeting of Labour supporters that the Iraq war was Tony Blair's "big mistake" in foreign affairs.
Commenting on Mr Blair's interview Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell said: "At long last the enormity of the decision to take military action against Iraq is being accepted by the Prime Minister.
"It could hardly be otherwise as the failure of strategy becomes so clear.
"If the Prime Minister accepts that it is a "disaster" then surely Parliament and the British people who were given a flawed prospectus are entitled to an apology."
Downing Street insisted it was not Mr Blair's view that the violence in Iraq had been a disaster.
A spokeswoman said: "He was simply acknowledging the question in a polite way before going on to explain his view.
"To portray it as some kind of admission is completely disingenuous."
Partnership
Mr Blair was the first guest on the Frost Over the World programme on al-Jazeera International, which launched on Wednesday this week.
In the interview he stressed the importance of progress in the Middle East peace process in winning the "war on terror".
He said it would cut support for Muslim extremism and added the issue was the "most important" thing for him before he leaves office.
He also said Syria and Iran could play a "constructive" role in the Middle East.
"If you are prepared to be part of the solution, there is a partnership available to you," Mr Blair said.
"But at the moment - and this is particularly so in respect of what Iran is doing in supporting terrorism throughout the Middle East and acting in breach of its nuclear weapons obligations - you are behaving in such a way that makes such a partnership impossible."
He said it was completely absurd to suggest that talking to the countries amounted to "appeasement".
Mr Blair said securing progress in the Middle East would have great "symbolic importance".
"It would send a signal to the whole of the world that this was not a battle between westerners or Christians and Muslims, but it was a battle between all those who believe in tolerance, in living together in harmony, in a non sectarian future against those who want to divide us.''
And he repeated that UK troops would remain in Iraq "for as long as the government needs us to stay".
He was also asked if he would stay on as foreign secretary if the job was offered to him by his likely successor Gordon Brown.
Mr Blair said: "I think when you step down as prime minister you step down".