Tony Blair has told his allies in the West to abandon their "mad" anti-Americanism or risk losing the most important force in the battle of values against extremist Islam.

In a rare joint meeting of the two houses of the Australian Parliament, the Prime Minister sought to portray himself as a critical friend of the United States but spoke of his astonishment at the antipathy shown to the world's only superpower by fellow European leaders.

Describing what he called the fight for "the global values: fairness, justice and freedom", Mr Blair said: "This alliance does not end with, but it does begin with America.

"For us in Europe and for you, this alliance is central," he went on. "And I want to speak plainly here. I do not always agree with the US. Sometimes they can be difficult friends to have. But the strain of, frankly, anti-American feeling in parts of European politics is madness when set against the long-term interests of the world we believe in."

"The danger with America today is not that they are too much involved. The danger is that they decide to pull up the drawbridge and disengage. We need them involved. We want them engaged."

Although rifts between what Donald Rumsfeld, the US Secretary of Defence, called "Old Europe" and America have eased since the intense disagreements that accompanied the start of the Iraq war in 2003, continued tension in the War on Terror remains.

The European Parliament is currently exploring the possible existence of so-called "black sites", secret detention centres run by the CIA in Europe to interrogate detainees in America's campaign against terrorism. Italian prosecutors are also investigating the disappearance of an Egyptian cleric, allegedly abducted from Milan by the CIA.

Mr Blair's comments formed part in the second of three major speeches he plans to give on terrorism and what he calls an "active foreign policy of engagement". To a standing ovation in Canberra, he said the people of Iraq and Afghanistan were engaged in a "titanic struggle to be free of a legacy of oppression, stagnation and servitude."

"Every reactionary element is lined up to fight us," said Mr Blair. "They know if they lose, a message is sent out across the Muslim world that strikes at the heart of their ideology.

"We must not hesitate in the face of a battle utterly decisive as to whether the values we believe in triumph or fail ... If the going is tough , we tough it out. This is not a time to walk away. This is a time for courage to see it through," he said.

Mr Blair's speeches come as Britain and America enter the fourth year of the war in Iraq. Australia, with 900 troops deployed in the country to provide security for Japanese engineers, has been the third largest contributor of coalition soldiers. After his speech, Mr Blair laid a wreath at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. He visits New Zealand and Indonesia later this week.

Explore UK News

• Crime News

• Education News

• Health News

• Scotland News

Times Recommends

• Charles blazes trail as sun king
• Thalidomiders win payout 50 years on
• Libel gag on talk of 'medical hurricane'