[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 19155]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                              A LOYAL ALLY

  Mr. MILLER. Mr. President, I rise today to offer thanks and praise 
for a world leader who has been as stalwart and as loyal an ally for 
the United States as anyone could ever ask.
  These past few weeks, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has gone 
above and beyond the call of duty for America. He has left no doubt 
that we will be able to count on him and his country over the long 
haul.
  To paraphrase his own words, he was with us at the first and he will 
stay with us to the last.
  He was there in the gallery of the House of Representatives when 
President Bush made his moving and forceful speech to this Nation in a 
joint session of this Congress.
  He was there at Ground Zero in New York City, witnessing the 
destruction with his own eyes and mourning what he called ``the 
slaughter of thousands of innocents.''
  He was there in Pakistan, near the dangerous heart of this war, 
reassuring a nervous Pakistani President that he made the right 
decision in choosing the United States over the Taliban regime.
  Since September 11, Tony Blair has served valiantly as our voluntary 
ambassador to the world.
  In London, Berlin, Paris, New York, Washington, Brussells, Moscow, 
Islamabad, New Delhi, and Geneva, Blair has rallied international 
leaders and built a coalition of support for the United States. He has 
done so with a diplomacy, eloquence and strong resolve reminiscent of 
Winston Churchill during his finest hours.
  In his latest brilliant stroke, Blair acted swiftly when he saw Osama 
bin Laden's videotaped speech Sunday night. Blair immediately summoned 
a reporter from the Arabic network to his office at 10 Downing Street 
and taped his own strong rebuttal to bin Laden. It aired on the same 
day, on the same Arabic network.
  It should not be surprising that Blair would rise to the occasion as 
ably and powerfully as he has. The British have a tough, resolute 
attitude when it comes to defending themselves. They are willing to 
take risks on the battlefield. They are willing to risk casualties for 
the greater good. They are the ones you want on your side in times like 
these.
  He was with us at the first, and he will stay with us to the last, he 
said. For that, we owe Tony Blair our deepest gratitude. We could not 
ask any more of him.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the absence of any other Senator 
seeking recognition, I ask unanimous consent that I be permitted to 
speak up to 20 minutes as in morning business.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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