Brown Affirms U.K. Commitment To Iraq

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told President Bush Monday he shares the U.S. view that there are "duties to discharge and responsibilities to keep" in Iraq.

"Our aim, like the United States is, step-by-step, to move control to the Iraqi authorities," Brown said, joining Mr. Bush at a news conference at the president's Maryland mountaintop retreat.

Brown hinted that a decision about British troop levels was coming soon, while assuring that such a determination would be based "on the military advice of our commanders on the ground," thus echoing language often heard from Mr. Bush.

Indeed, minutes later, in response to a question, Mr. Bush said: "The decisions on the way forward in Iraq must be made with a military recommendation as an integral part of it."

The United Kingdom's commitment to the war is essential to the Bush administration. Britain has 5,500 troops there, with forces moving from a combat role to aiding local Iraqi forces.

Mr. Bush didn't directly answer whether he planned to pass on the war to the next president, who will take office in January 2009. But he suggested that was likely. "This is going to take a long time in Iraq, just like the ideological struggle is going to take a long time," he said.

The Camp David meeting was an attempt to seek common footing between leaders new to each other, but who jointly oversee one of the world's most important alliances.

Even before reporters could ask if he was getting along as well with Brown as he did with his predecessor, Tony Blair, Mr. Bush was quick to say he likes what he sees in the new British prime minister, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller.

"He's a glass half-full man — not a glass half-empty guy, you know," Mr. Bush said.

In deference to the U.S.-British relationship, Mr. Bush gave Brown the full foreign-leader treatment: a coveted overnight stay at the presidential retreat here, three meals of all-American fare and introductory talks spanning a range of weighty matters.

But building personal rapport was the main theme. The men have been together before, but this was their first official sit-down since Brown took office in Britain a month ago. There was some sign they achieved a connection, with Brown thanking Mr. Bush for his compassionate words about the death of a baby daughter four years ago and the two trading jokes about Brown's reputation as a dour Scotsman.

"On the surface, Britain's new Prime Minister Gordon Brown made a point of underscoring U.S.-U.K. common interests in a trip designed to build a relationship and allay fears that relations would cool with Tony Blair out of office," said CBS News foreign affairs analyst Pamela Falk, "but Brown has made his differences clear by continuing to support the drawdown of British forces from Iraq, his interest in restarting stalled trade talks, and in speaking at the U.N. on Tuesday on climate change."

Still, what the men stressed was what their nations have in common when they appeared together before reporters — 25 minutes late, a rarity for the usually punctual president — to cap the two days of talks — both one-on-one and with advisers.

"So everyone's wondering whether or not the prime minister and I were able to find common ground, to get along, to have a meaningful discussion," Mr. Bush said at the outset. "And the answer is 'Absolutely."'

Mr. Bush said they met over dinner Sunday night for more than two hours alone, dismissing aides from both countries to the rustic camp's bowling alley (where the British side apparently prevailed).

"You know, he probably wasn't sure what to expect from me," the president said. "I kinda had a sense of the kind of person I was going to be dealing with. I would describe Gordon Brown as a principled man who really wants to get something done."

On the battle against terror, in particular, the men said there is no daylight between their views.

"We are one in fighting the battle against terrorism," said Brown.

Mr. Bush congratulated the prime minister on his response when his country was hit with terror threats and catastrophic flooding immediately after he took office. "You've proved your worthiness as a leader."

"He gets it," the president said of his new partner.

Some of Brown's advisers have caused a stir with comments about Mr. Bush's famously close ties with Blair and the Iraq war — raising questions about whether British troops were headed for an early withdrawal from Iraq.

"In Iraq we have duties to discharge and responsibilities to keep in support of the democratically elected government and in support of the explicit will of the international community," Brown said.

Military officials have said that British forces are likely to hand over control of Basra, the last area for which they hold responsibility, by the end of the year. Brown said at Mr. Bush's side that a decision on the future role of British troops could be announced to Parliament when it returns from a summer recess in October.

That decision would follow the scheduled September report to Bush by Army Gen. David Petraeus.

If Mr. Bush had any dissatisfaction about what he heard from Brown on Iraq, he didn't reveal it.

"There's no doubt in my mind he understands the stake of the struggle," Mr. Bush said. "And there's no doubt in my mind that he will keep me abreast of his military commanders' recommendations based upon conditions on the ground."

Notably, though, Brown is covering his bases. After leaving Camp David, he planned to meet U.S. congressional leaders on Capitol Hill. He also was heading from Washington for New York, where he will hold talks with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and deliver a speech to the United Nations.