You came. You helped conquer Saddam – and thank you for that. Then it all went wrong.

In summary that was the attitude of many ordinary Iraqis questioned today by TheTimes about Tony Blair, the man widely seen as President Bush's chief ally, or lackey, in the 2003 invasion of their country.

In Baghdad many were aware of Mr Blair's announcement, and there was little sadness at his imminent departure.

On the banks of the River Tigris separating the Green Zone from 'real' Baghdad Qusay a 22-year-old Shia soldier, said: "It went wrong from the beginning. But we rely on them now. If the Americans and British stay, armed groups will keep on attacking them. If they leave, the chaos will get worse.There is no solution."

Blair casts himself as EU president candidate

Speaking on French TV, Tony Blair sang the praises of the EU and sketched his agenda for its future, all in fluent French

Multimedia

• The Blair years: video, pictures and analysis

• Interactive Blair Timeline

• BlairTube

Multimedia

• Blair fashion gallery

• Cherie Blair picture gallery

• Brookes on Blair

Fifty of his friends have been killed in the last eight months, he complains, but blames the Iraqi government - not Washington and London, - for failing to supply his unit adequately.

"I have only one magazine and no more bullets if we are attacked by some group, or if we have to attack them. We don't have enough supplies and the officers flee and leave their soldiers to be killed."

Outside the protected quarter the noon temperatures are now reaching 104 degrees F, with the hotter summer months to come, and four years after the invasion there are still suicide bombings, power cuts and traffic jams.

In a computer shop in one western suburb a wall sign reads: 'What did you do for Iraq 's interests today?'

Farah, a headscarved assistant of mixed Sunni and Shia parentage, believes Mr Blair would have no good answer for that question. "Blair is finished? Not before he finished us," says the 23-year-old, curtly.

"Everything has changed since the occupation. Life is extremely difficult we can't move outside where threatened all the time, especially women. The only thing we ask for now is security. Of course life is worse now. In other areas of Baghdad they can't go beyond the boundaries of their homes. Sometimes there is just one hour of electricity."

Her friend – also Farah - a 26-year-old Christian, offers up a few benefits arising from the 2003 invasion. The computers, satellites and mobile telephone technology from which they make a living. Travel abroad. Newspapers.

But she points out the negative: "The worst thing is the daily death, the daily explosions. And, of course, the security."

Times Recommends

• Heed the great stabiliser’s words
• How a voice for everyone led to stalemate
• Bakara market becomes a slaughterhouse