White House praises Blair as 'extraordinary leader'

WASHINGTON: The White House on Thursday paid tribute to outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair as "an extraordinary leader" and a friend and ally of US President George W Bush.   

"Also the prime minister has demonstrated the ability to work with presidents of both parties and to maintain a long tradition of an alliance that is of extraordinary strategic importance," White House spokesman Tony Snow said.   

He was referring to Blair's cooperation with Bush as well as his predecessor, Democratic former US president Bill Clinton. Blair announced his resignation on Thursday, ending a tumultuous decade as one of Britain's most successful leaders.   

But he nonetheless divided the nation by joining the US-led coalition which invaded Iraq in March 2003, triggering a drawn-out bloody conflict now in its fifth year.   

Blair, who will stand down on June 27, defended his record supporting the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Iraq invasion, insisting: "Hand on heart, I did what I thought was right".   

"Tony Blair has been an extraordinary leader of the United Kingdom. He and the president are strong friends and allies," Snow said.   

"We certainly appreciate everything he has done, but furthermore the fact that he plans to have a very active schedule" until his departure, Snow added.