Tony Blair issued a staunch defence of his Government's close partnership with the United States and his readiness to involve Britain in military action overseas.
Without the ability and preparedness to use the "hard power" of military force, Britain's influence on issues ranging from climate change to Middle East peace would be undermined, he told a committee of senior MPs.
It was "ridiculous" to suggest that the use of force in Iraq or Afghanistan was fuelling Islamist extremism, insisted Mr Blair, arguing that to win the hearts and minds of ordinary Muslims, it was necessary to stand up to the radicals in their midst.
And he said he was confident that his successor as prime minister - whom he did not name - would maintain the same stance.
In his regular six-monthly appearance before the House of Commons Liaison Committee, the timing of Mr Blair's departure and the identity of his successor were barely touched upon - though chairman Alan Williams did reveal that the Prime Minister has agreed to undergo a final grilling after he announces his resignation date, to look back over a decade in office.
Mr Blair made clear that he believes Britain faces "huge questions" over the direction it will take after he leaves 10 Downing Street - not least over its future relations with Washington.
Mr Blair was highly critical of a recent speech given by William Hague, in which the shadow foreign secretary appeared to suggest that the UK should adopt a more distant relationship with Washington in favour of developing links with countries such as China and India.
This was a "false choice", as Britain's influence with the emerging Asian giants and in other parts of the world depended crucially on its close relations with Washington, he said.
"I am the person, above all, who can give evidence of the difficulties and sometimes the political penalty you pay for a close relationship with the US, but we shouldn't give that up in any set of circumstances, in my view," said Mr Blair.
For a small nation like Britain to have "weight and power and influence" in the world, it needed to keep its relations with both Europe and the USA strong, he warned.
