On Tuesday night I gave the order for British forces to take part in military action in Iraq.
Tonight, British servicemen and women are engaged from air, land and sea. Their mission: to remove Saddam Hussein from power, and disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.
I know this course of action has produced deep divisions of opinion in our country. But I know also the British people will now be united in sending our armed forces our thoughts and prayers. They are the finest in the world and their families and all of Britain can have great pride in them.
The threat to Britain today is not that of my father's generation. War between the big powers is unlikely. Europe is at peace. The Cold War already a memory.
But this new world faces a new threat: of disorder and chaos born either of brutal states like Iraq, armed with weapons of mass destruction; or of extreme terrorist groups. Both hate our way of life, our freedom, our democracy.
My fear, deeply held, based in part on the intelligence that I see, is that these threats come together and deliver catastrophe to our country and world. These tyrannical states do not care for the sanctity of human life. The terrorists delight in destroying it.
Some say if we act, we become a target. The truth is, all nations are targets. Bali was never in the front line of action against terrorism. America didn't attack Al Qaida. They attacked America.
Britain has never been a nation to hide at the back. But even if we were, it wouldn't avail us.
Should terrorists obtain these weapons now being manufactured and traded round the world, the carnage they could inflict to our economies, our security, to world peace, would be beyond our most vivid imagination.
My judgement, as Prime Minister, is that this threat is real, growing and of an entirely different nature to any conventional threat to our security that Britain has faced before.
For 12 years, the world tried to disarm Saddam; after his wars in which hundreds of thousands died. UN weapons inspectors say vast amounts of chemical and biological poisons, such as anthrax, VX nerve agent, and mustard gas remain unaccounted for in Iraq.
So our choice is clear: back down and leave Saddam hugely strengthened; or proceed to disarm him by force. Retreat might give us a moment of respite but years of repentance at our weakness would I believe follow.
It is true Saddam is not the only threat. But it is true also - as we British know - that the best way to deal with future threats peacefully, is to deal with present threats with resolve.
Removing Saddam will be a blessing to the Iraqi people. Four million Iraqis are in exile. 60% of the population dependent on food aid. Thousands of children die every year through malnutrition and disease. Hundreds of thousands have been driven from their homes or murdered.
I hope the Iraqi people hear this message. We are with you. Our enemy is not you, but your barbarous rulers.
Our commitment to the post-Saddam humanitarian effort will be total. We shall help Iraq move towards democracy. And put the money from Iraqi oil in a UN trust fund so that it benefits Iraq and no-one else.
Neither should Iraq be our only concern. President Bush and I have committed ourselves to peace in the Middle East based on a secure state of Israel and a viable Palestinian state. We will strive to see it done.
But these challenges and others that confront us - poverty, the environment, the ravages of disease - require a world of order and stability. Dictators like Saddam, terrorist groups like Al Qaida threaten the very existence of such a world.
That is why I have asked our troops to go into action tonight. As so often before, on the courage and determination of British men and women, serving our country, the fate of many nations rests.
布萊爾發(fā)表對伊演講 稱英參加海陸空行動
星期二晚上，我下令英國軍隊參加對伊拉克的軍事行動。
今天晚上，英國的男女軍人正在參加對伊拉克的空中、地面和海上行動。他們的使命：*薩達姆政權(quán)，解除伊拉克的大規(guī)模殺傷性武器。
我知道，這個行動已經(jīng)在我們國內(nèi)造成了深刻的意見分歧。但我同樣知道，英國民眾現(xiàn)在將團結(jié)起來，向我們的武裝部隊送出掛念和祈禱。他們是世界上的，他們的家人以及所有的英國人將以他們?yōu)闃s。
英國今天面臨的不是我的父親那一代所面臨的威脅。大國之間發(fā)生戰(zhàn)爭已經(jīng)不可能了。歐洲處于和平之中。冷戰(zhàn)已經(jīng)成為一種回憶。
但這個新的世界面臨著新的威脅：要么是像伊拉克一樣殘忍的國家靠著大規(guī)模殺傷性武器，要么是極端恐怖組織，制造混亂和無序。他們都仇恨我們的生活方式，我們的自由，我們的民主。
親愛的同胞們，根據(jù)情報資料，我深深地意識到，這些威脅將會到來，將對我們的國家和世界造成巨大的災難。這些殘暴的國家根本無視人類生命的圣潔，恐怖分子以破壞人類生命而歡喜雀躍。
有的人說，如果我們行動，我們將成為目標。然而事實是，所有的國家都是目標。印尼巴厘島從來就不是反恐行動的前線，美國也沒有襲擊“基地”組織，但是基地組織卻襲擊了美國。
英國從來就不是一個明哲保身的懦弱國家，但即便英國過去是，那也沒有給我們帶來好處。
如果恐怖分子獲得了這種正在制造和在世界各地交易著的武器，他們就能夠?qū)ξ覀兊慕?jīng)濟、我們的安全和世界和平造成巨大的破壞，這將超出我們膽的想象。
作為首相，我認為，這種威脅是實實在在的，正在增長之中，這與英國過去面對的常規(guī)的安全威脅有著本質(zhì)的不同。
薩達姆入侵科威特導致數(shù)十萬人喪命，國際社會12年來一致試圖解除薩達姆的武裝。聯(lián)合國武器核查人員說伊拉克還擁有大量的生化武器，比如炭疽病毒、VX神經(jīng)毒氣以及情況不清的芥子氣。
所以我們的選擇已很明確：對薩達姆不聞不問，讓他繼續(xù)發(fā)展壯大；或者用武力解除他的武裝。前一種選擇可能會讓我們輕松片刻，但我相信我們終將因為我們的軟弱而遺憾終身。
薩達姆不是的威脅，這沒有錯。但和平解決未來威脅的途徑，就是要決心解除現(xiàn)在的威脅。
*薩達姆的政權(quán)將是伊拉克人民的福音。四百萬伊拉克人在流亡。百分之六十的人依靠食品救濟為生。數(shù)以千計的兒童每年死于疾病和營養(yǎng)不良。數(shù)十萬的伊拉克人被迫顛簸流離或被暗殺。
我希望伊拉克人民能夠聽到：我們同你們站在一起，我們的敵人不是你們，而是你們野蠻的領(lǐng)導人。
我們將致力于在后薩達姆時期提供全面的人道援助。關(guān)注伊拉克的不僅僅是我們，布什總統(tǒng)和我將致力于整個中東地區(qū)的和平。
但是這些挑戰(zhàn)以及其它挑戰(zhàn)——貧窮、環(huán)境、疾病——需要有序、穩(wěn)定的國際環(huán)境。而像薩達姆這樣的*者和“基地”組織這樣恐怖組織的存在，使建立這種國際環(huán)境不可能實現(xiàn)。
這就是為什么我命令軍隊參加戰(zhàn)爭。就像以前很多次一樣，很多國家的命運都依賴于英國軍隊的勇氣和決心。
Tonight, British servicemen and women are engaged from air, land and sea. Their mission: to remove Saddam Hussein from power, and disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction.
I know this course of action has produced deep divisions of opinion in our country. But I know also the British people will now be united in sending our armed forces our thoughts and prayers. They are the finest in the world and their families and all of Britain can have great pride in them.
The threat to Britain today is not that of my father's generation. War between the big powers is unlikely. Europe is at peace. The Cold War already a memory.
But this new world faces a new threat: of disorder and chaos born either of brutal states like Iraq, armed with weapons of mass destruction; or of extreme terrorist groups. Both hate our way of life, our freedom, our democracy.
My fear, deeply held, based in part on the intelligence that I see, is that these threats come together and deliver catastrophe to our country and world. These tyrannical states do not care for the sanctity of human life. The terrorists delight in destroying it.
Some say if we act, we become a target. The truth is, all nations are targets. Bali was never in the front line of action against terrorism. America didn't attack Al Qaida. They attacked America.
Britain has never been a nation to hide at the back. But even if we were, it wouldn't avail us.
Should terrorists obtain these weapons now being manufactured and traded round the world, the carnage they could inflict to our economies, our security, to world peace, would be beyond our most vivid imagination.
My judgement, as Prime Minister, is that this threat is real, growing and of an entirely different nature to any conventional threat to our security that Britain has faced before.
For 12 years, the world tried to disarm Saddam; after his wars in which hundreds of thousands died. UN weapons inspectors say vast amounts of chemical and biological poisons, such as anthrax, VX nerve agent, and mustard gas remain unaccounted for in Iraq.
So our choice is clear: back down and leave Saddam hugely strengthened; or proceed to disarm him by force. Retreat might give us a moment of respite but years of repentance at our weakness would I believe follow.
It is true Saddam is not the only threat. But it is true also - as we British know - that the best way to deal with future threats peacefully, is to deal with present threats with resolve.
Removing Saddam will be a blessing to the Iraqi people. Four million Iraqis are in exile. 60% of the population dependent on food aid. Thousands of children die every year through malnutrition and disease. Hundreds of thousands have been driven from their homes or murdered.
I hope the Iraqi people hear this message. We are with you. Our enemy is not you, but your barbarous rulers.
Our commitment to the post-Saddam humanitarian effort will be total. We shall help Iraq move towards democracy. And put the money from Iraqi oil in a UN trust fund so that it benefits Iraq and no-one else.
Neither should Iraq be our only concern. President Bush and I have committed ourselves to peace in the Middle East based on a secure state of Israel and a viable Palestinian state. We will strive to see it done.
But these challenges and others that confront us - poverty, the environment, the ravages of disease - require a world of order and stability. Dictators like Saddam, terrorist groups like Al Qaida threaten the very existence of such a world.
That is why I have asked our troops to go into action tonight. As so often before, on the courage and determination of British men and women, serving our country, the fate of many nations rests.
布萊爾發(fā)表對伊演講 稱英參加海陸空行動
星期二晚上，我下令英國軍隊參加對伊拉克的軍事行動。
今天晚上，英國的男女軍人正在參加對伊拉克的空中、地面和海上行動。他們的使命：*薩達姆政權(quán)，解除伊拉克的大規(guī)模殺傷性武器。
我知道，這個行動已經(jīng)在我們國內(nèi)造成了深刻的意見分歧。但我同樣知道，英國民眾現(xiàn)在將團結(jié)起來，向我們的武裝部隊送出掛念和祈禱。他們是世界上的，他們的家人以及所有的英國人將以他們?yōu)闃s。
英國今天面臨的不是我的父親那一代所面臨的威脅。大國之間發(fā)生戰(zhàn)爭已經(jīng)不可能了。歐洲處于和平之中。冷戰(zhàn)已經(jīng)成為一種回憶。
但這個新的世界面臨著新的威脅：要么是像伊拉克一樣殘忍的國家靠著大規(guī)模殺傷性武器，要么是極端恐怖組織，制造混亂和無序。他們都仇恨我們的生活方式，我們的自由，我們的民主。
親愛的同胞們，根據(jù)情報資料，我深深地意識到，這些威脅將會到來，將對我們的國家和世界造成巨大的災難。這些殘暴的國家根本無視人類生命的圣潔，恐怖分子以破壞人類生命而歡喜雀躍。
有的人說，如果我們行動，我們將成為目標。然而事實是，所有的國家都是目標。印尼巴厘島從來就不是反恐行動的前線，美國也沒有襲擊“基地”組織，但是基地組織卻襲擊了美國。
英國從來就不是一個明哲保身的懦弱國家，但即便英國過去是，那也沒有給我們帶來好處。
如果恐怖分子獲得了這種正在制造和在世界各地交易著的武器，他們就能夠?qū)ξ覀兊慕?jīng)濟、我們的安全和世界和平造成巨大的破壞，這將超出我們膽的想象。
作為首相，我認為，這種威脅是實實在在的，正在增長之中，這與英國過去面對的常規(guī)的安全威脅有著本質(zhì)的不同。
薩達姆入侵科威特導致數(shù)十萬人喪命，國際社會12年來一致試圖解除薩達姆的武裝。聯(lián)合國武器核查人員說伊拉克還擁有大量的生化武器，比如炭疽病毒、VX神經(jīng)毒氣以及情況不清的芥子氣。
所以我們的選擇已很明確：對薩達姆不聞不問，讓他繼續(xù)發(fā)展壯大；或者用武力解除他的武裝。前一種選擇可能會讓我們輕松片刻，但我相信我們終將因為我們的軟弱而遺憾終身。
薩達姆不是的威脅，這沒有錯。但和平解決未來威脅的途徑，就是要決心解除現(xiàn)在的威脅。
*薩達姆的政權(quán)將是伊拉克人民的福音。四百萬伊拉克人在流亡。百分之六十的人依靠食品救濟為生。數(shù)以千計的兒童每年死于疾病和營養(yǎng)不良。數(shù)十萬的伊拉克人被迫顛簸流離或被暗殺。
我希望伊拉克人民能夠聽到：我們同你們站在一起，我們的敵人不是你們，而是你們野蠻的領(lǐng)導人。
我們將致力于在后薩達姆時期提供全面的人道援助。關(guān)注伊拉克的不僅僅是我們，布什總統(tǒng)和我將致力于整個中東地區(qū)的和平。
但是這些挑戰(zhàn)以及其它挑戰(zhàn)——貧窮、環(huán)境、疾病——需要有序、穩(wěn)定的國際環(huán)境。而像薩達姆這樣的*者和“基地”組織這樣恐怖組織的存在，使建立這種國際環(huán)境不可能實現(xiàn)。
這就是為什么我命令軍隊參加戰(zhàn)爭。就像以前很多次一樣，很多國家的命運都依賴于英國軍隊的勇氣和決心。