Washington: US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on July 18 emphatically defended their campaign to oust Saddam Hussein and the controversial "intelligence" reports over Iraq's suspected nuke programme.

"I take responsibility for making the decision, the tough decision, to put together a coalition to remove Saddam Hussein," Bush said at a joint press conference with Blair after the latter made an impassioned defence of the invasion in an address to the joint session of the US Congress.

"The intelligence, not only our intelligence but the intelligence of this great country (UK) made a clear and compelling case that Saddam Hussein was a threat to security and peace," Bush said.

Blair, under pressure from public opinion in Britain, defended the intelligence report on Saddam Hussein trying to obtain uranium for nuclear weapons.

"The British intelligence that we had, we believe, is genuine. We know for sure that Saddam purchased some 270 tonnes of nuclear material from Niger" in 1980s, Blair said.

Blair earlier told the Congress that history would forgive UK and US even if they were proved wrong on the issue.

"Our enemies," said Bush, "are looking for signs of hesitation. They are looking for weakness. They will find none. Instead, our forces in Iraq are finding these killers and bringing them to justice."

Both Bush and Blair stressed the importance they attach to the new governing council in Iraq said America and Britain will "help Iraqi people" as long as necessary.

PTI