In other words, "Blair comes to US to argue on side of sanity"

BBC NEWS | UK | Politics | Blair arrives for US summit The role of the UN has been seen as a possible sticking point between the UK and US after the failure to secure a Security Council resolution immediately before the war.

Mr Blair wants any authority which replaces Saddam Hussein's regime to be endorsed by a new UN resolution, despite the reluctance of France and Russia to support one.

Those hopes received a boost on Wednesday from US Secretary-General Colin Powell, who told Congress that America would seek a role for the UN.