Bush is hosting a new UK prime minister this weekend. The Times of London reports:
In contrast with the famous “Colgate summit” – at which Bush told the press he and Blair shared the same brand of toothpaste – no walkabouts or matey photo-opportunities are expected when the president meets the new prime minister.
“President Bush and prime minister Brown don’t need a photo-opportunity of the two of them heading off into the sunset holding hands to prove that the US-UK relationship is as strong as ever,” a British official said.
Brown will have a one-to-one dinner with Bush tonight and they will meet again without aides for breakfast tomorrow.
A Whitehall source said: “It will be more businesslike now, with less emphasis on the meeting of personal visions you had with Bush and Blair.”
The Times reports that PM Brown may come bearing a message that the Brits are leaving Iraq soon. And it not hard to figure why they want to do that.
Army chiefs make no secret of their desire to withdraw. British troops are under virtual siege in Basra with four servicemen killed in the past two weeks by mortar or rocket attacks on their two bases. Most are in tents with no overhead protection.
Nothing like taking mortar rounds in a tent to focus the mind on leaving. We’re being set up for a military fiasco.
