Goodbye, ally

News of the Year | June 2007 | Mindy Belz

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped down June 27 after 10 years in office at 10 Downing Street

British Prime Minister Tony Blair stepped down June 27 after 10 years in office at 10 Downing Street and 13 years as head of Britain's Labor Party. The prime minister's press secretary, Alastair Campbell, famously told reporters, "We don't do God" during Blair's term— a period that saw Britain lose 67 citizens on 9/11; endure coordinated terror attacks on its own soil July 7, 2005; and go to war in Afghanistan and Iraq as the nearest and dearest ally of the United States.

Out of office Blair told a BBC program covering his tenure: "There is no point in me denying it, I happen to have religious conviction. I don't actually think there is anything wrong in having religious conviction—on the contrary, I think it is a strength for people." He said Christianity was "an important part of being able to do" the job as head of state but said, "You talk about it in our system and frankly people do think you're a nutter."