Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair defended his decision to support the United States in its war in Iraq during an appearance Wednesday evening in Alumni Arena on the University at Buffalo’s North Campus in Amherst.

Blair said that while he respected those who disagreed, he took a different view.

“The important thing about politics sometimes is to realize that decisions are very, very difficult to make,” Blair said. “I don’t condemn anybody who opposed the decision I took . . . or somebody who would surrender to terrorism. I don’t disrespect people who took a different view at all.”

He said that he made the right decision in supporting President George W. Bush on the war and that the world was a better place after Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was removed from office.

Blair, who served as British prime minister from 1997 to 2007, was the graduate students’ chose to be included in the 23rd annual UB Distinguished Speakers Series.

The 56-year-old former leader of Britain’s Labor Party currently serves as the Middle East Quartet representative on behalf of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia. He was ap-

pointed to the post on the same day he resigned as prime minister.

Over his 10 years as prime minister, Blair was credited with reshaping political objectives of his party by moving it in a more centrist direction, but he also was credited with transforming public services by increasing Britain’s investment in health and education.

Blair introduced a national minimum wage, tuition fees for higher education and policies that provided more British citizens with faster access to health care. He was a staunch supporter of Bush’s “war on terror,” committing British troops to the U. S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.

A group of demonstrators arranged by the Peace, Justice and Anti-War Coalition on Wednesday held a protest and boycott of the appearance by Blair, accusing him of being a war criminal for sanctioning the war in Iraq, which they said has led to the killing of up to 2 million Iraqis in violation of the Geneva Conventions, the Nuremberg Principles and the United Nations Charter.

The demonstrators said Blair was to receive $150,000, plus travel and expenses for four people accompanying him.

James R. Holstun, a UB professor of English and president of the coalition, criticized Blair as co-author, with Bush, of the Iraq War. He also accused UB of censorship for prescreening questions that were put to Blair.

“There is no true interplay of questions which had to be screened in advance,” he said. “At a university, this is shocking and disgraceful.”

However, Dennis R. Black, UB’s vice president of student affairs, said that there was no attempt at censorship and that the questions were merely moderated.

Some of the questions had been submitted online, and others were collected at the event. Blair did not see the questions in advance, Black said, and at the conclusion of his remarks, the first question he received was from a student asking him to justify his decision to send British troops into Iraq. Blair remarked that it was good for the student to have asked that question.

Blair continues to be outspoken on climate change and global poverty. In May 2008, he established the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which promotes respect and understanding of the world’s major religions.

He also is recognized for the Northern Ireland peace process, having helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement.