Tony Blair has met British troops in Basra after pledging to "stand four square" behind democracy in Iraq.
It was the Prime Minister's fifth, and probably final, visit to UK forces deployed around the southern city - including every Christmas since the 2003 war.
Standing between two union flags in an aircraft hanger, Mr Blair told personnel they were involved in a struggle for essential values against a "different kind of enemy".
"Our country and countries like it are having to rediscover what it means to fight for what we believe in," he said. "All over the world the same struggle is going on and if we don't stand up and fight for the people of tolerance and moderation who want to live together, whatever their fate, then the people of hatred and sectarianism will triumph."
Before addressing the troops, Mr Blair shook hands and chatted with dozens of soldiers from 19 Light Brigade, including elements of 2nd Battalion Battlegroup, Duke of Lancaster's regiment, 2 Royal Tank Regiment, 38 Engineer Regiment Group and 16 Air Assault Brigade.
Mr Blair signed one of the group's Challenger II tanks with the words: "Good luck! Tony Blair".
Earlier, the Prime Minister had flown into Baghdad for talks with his Iraqi counterpart Nouri Maliki and president Jalal Talabani as his tour of the Middle East continued.
Mr Blair said after the meetings that moves to hand over control of security in Basra and other southern provinces to Iraqi forces were "going well".
But speaking outside Mr Maliki's official residence in the heavily protected Green Zone, he promised that the UK would not "cut and run".
"Don't be under any doubts at all, British troops remain until the job is done and that job is moving up the Iraqi capabilities so that, for example, in Basra Iraqi forces can carry out the security work."
