US:George Bush and Tony Blair have used their final joint press conference as US president and British prime minister to defend the invasion of Iraq and the continued presence of their troops there.
Standing next to the president in the White House rose garden, Mr Blair said that Iraq was now the central front in the battle against global terrorism.
"It's not about us remaining true to the course that we've set out because of the alliance with America. It is about us remaining steadfast because what we are fighting, the enemy we are fighting is an enemy that is aiming its destruction at our way of life and anybody who wants that way of life. And in those circumstances, the harder they fight, the more determined we must be to fight back. If what happens is, the harder they fight, the more our will diminishes, then that's a fight we're going to lose. And this is a fight we cannot afford to lose," he said.
Mr Bush, who faces mounting opposition in Congress and among the US public to his policy on Iraq, said the military campaign there was about protecting the US from attack.
"No matter how calm it may seem here in America, an enemy lurks, and they would like to strike, they would like to do harm to the American people," he said.
The president praised Mr Blair's "patience and resolve regarding Northern Ireland" and said the prime minister gave the world the kind of leadership it needs.
"What I know is the world needs courage. And what I know is this good man is a courageous man," he said.
Mr Bush chided a British journalist who suggested that he ought to be talking instead to Gordon Brown, accusing the journalist of "doing a tap dance" on Mr Blair's political grave.
During their meetings earlier yesterday, the two leaders received a briefing on the current situation in Iraq and discussed Afghanistan, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Iran.
"We fully recognise that the Iranians must not have a nuclear weapon. And, therefore, it's important to continue to work in the international arena to speak with one voice. And if we're unable to make progress with the Iranians, we want to work together to implement new sanctions through the United Nations, to continue to make it clear that Iran with a nuclear weapon is not in the interests of peace in the world," Mr Bush said.
Iranian and American officials said yesterday that they will start talks in Baghdad on May 28th but that their discussions will be limited to the security situation in Iraq.
"It is not about US-Iranian relations. It's about how direct contact between us can help the situation inside Iraq," said the US ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, who will lead the American side in the talks.