I say to the Taliban: surrender the terrorists; or surrender power. It's your choice.

I don't concede it at all that the intelligence at the time was wrong.

Mine is the first generation able to contemplate the possibility that we may live our entire lives without going to war or sending our children to war.

As so often before, on the courage and determination of British men and women, serving our country, the fate of many nations rests.

Obviously it is right that the Afghans take responsibility for their own future in the end, but they need to know and feel that we are there as partners for them if they are prepared to make the necessary changes. But we should be in no doubt as to why we are in Afghanistan. We ended up there because terrorism hatched there erupted thousands of miles away in New York on Sept. 11.

And the problem is, I can apologise for the information that turned out to be wrong, but I can't, sincerely at least, apologise for removing Saddam.

What I will say to people is what you require are rules and not prejudices.