Bush honoring Colombian president, ex-British, Australian PMs

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Bush will be awarding Tuesday America's top
civilian honor to three long-standing allies - Colombia's president and the
former prime ministers of Britain and Australia.

Bush will present the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe, and former prime minister Tony Blair of the United
Kingdom and John Howard of Australia.

The White House said Bush "is honoring these leaders for their work to
improve the lives of their citizens and for their efforts to promote democracy,
human rights and peace abroad."

Blair and Howard were staunch supporters of the U.S.-led coalition in
Iraq, sending troops to the country in the face of public opposition to the
conflict.

Uribe has battled guerrillas and drug cartels in Colombia, whose
government is a bastion of U.S. support in a region where anti-Americanism is
growing.