A staunch ally of successive American presidents, Blair ensured the continuation of the "special relationship" between the United States and Great Britain. Blair won his first parliamentary seat as a Labour candidate in 1983 and then became leader of the party in 1994. Three years later, Blair led the Labour Party to victory in its first electoral win in nearly two decades and became the youngest prime minister of the 20th century. Blair's foreign policy rested on efforts to both improve relations with the European Union (EU) and maintain Britain's strong ties with the United States. He endorsed the creation of a stronger European Security and Defense Identity and deeper economic integration with the EU. Blair was also a strong supporter of EU expansion. He worked closely with President William J. Clinton to maintain sanctions on Iraq, and the British continued to supply forces to enforce the no-fly zones in the country. The two leaders also cooperated over the North Atlantic Treaty Organization–led air campaign in Kosovo, although Blair unsuccessfully advocated for the early use of ground forces.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, Blair offered the United States a range of military support. British forces participated in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and generally supported the administration of George W. Bush in its global war on terror. In spite of domestic opposition, Blair also supported the 2003 Iraq War. He endeavored in vain to secure a United Nations resolution specifically authorizing the use of force in Iraq. Nevertheless, British troops participated in the invasion even without the resolution and although the deployment created tensions with Britain's main European allies, Germany and France. Although Blair won reelection in 2001 and 2005, his popularity was undermined by allegations that the decision to go to war was based on faulty intelligence and concerns about the continuing deployment of forces in Iraq. Nonetheless, the Anglo-American alliance remained the cornerstone of Blair's foreign policy.

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