U.S. President, George W. Bush and British Prime Minister, Tony Blair yesterday vowed to wage war unrelentingly for as long as it took to eliminate Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein.

Speaking to reporters at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland, Bush and Blair also stressed they would not be deterred by Iraqi resistance, which has been stronger than expected. They refused to say how long the war might last.

The Washington Post yesterday quoted some military sources as saying the war might last months rather than weeks.

Asked about this, Bush said the United States and its allies will fight as long as it took to win.

He added: "However long it takes to achieve our objective.

And that’s important for you to know, the American people to know, our allies to know, and the Iraqi people to know.

"This isn’t a matter of timetable, it’s a matter of vic-tory. And the Iraqi people have got to know that. "They’ve got to know that they will be liberated and Saddam Hussein removed, no matter how long it takes."

Meanwhile, the al-Jazeera Arab satellite television channel showed pictures of a U.S. helicopter and drone which it said had been shot down over Iraq on Thursday.

The Qatar-based channel broadcast footage of a helicopter with U.S. military markings surrounded by Iraqi men waving rifles. It also showed pictures of what Jazeera said was a downed U.S. pilotless drone.

It said the helicopter had been shot down in the mid-Euphrates region of Iraq.