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The sad truth is that Brown's carefully thought out position on those issues will have little or no effect on the Bush administration's position. I'm sure it will all be fairly amicable untill Bush finally leaves the Whitehouse at the end of next year.

This is a good time for Brown - for the first time since 1776, the Americans will need us more than we need them.

This is a lame duck president meeting a powerful Prime Minister.

Let's just hope that clunking fist doesn't end up in Bush's face.

I agree with Gordon in so far as the Bush-Brown relationship will stay 'amicable' for the remainder of the President's period in office.

That said, for comedy value alone, I'd love to be a fly on the wall during their meetings. Our new PM doesn't seem to be one who will suffer fools gladly.

The biggest difficulty the Bush Administration has in the world is their strident self-certitude, their complete refusal to accept that partnership is not compatible with submissive subservient obedience on threat of wild economic punishments, or if they do not feel that way, then the way in which they are portrayed in the international media.

The biggest danger the world faces is of the USA administration seeing a bombing campaign on Iran as legitimate.

The traditional ratio of American deaths to foreign deaths in any conflict is a minimum of 1:10 and often 1:100.

Just imagine the implications to America if a country such as Iran or Iraq applied that logic to the American people?

It doesn't bear thinking about.

But it will be thought of increasingly if the Americans can't stop believing that 'might is right'. They delude themselves with the slogans 'democracy', 'the American Dream' etc etc.

They're interested in money and power.

At any price.

Mr Brown needs to be a candid friend and, having put that on the table, explain how they can change, engage constructively and use their unbelievable skill base, influence, imagination and vision to change the world without killing those who have never harmed an American or America in their lives........

And they might start by getting tough on their logging corporations who are denuding the earth of a carbon sink.......

To add to Gordon's comment, another sad truth of international politics is that it is still neither 'right', nor logic, nor heart, nor decency that matters, only 'might' as always. In the age of malleable ideas it is a costly delusion to believe otherwise.

Following George W.'s gushing "We use the same toothpaste" to Blair, the obvious way for Gordon Brown not to appear too close to the President, would be to accidentally forget to take his toothbrush altogether.

Whether we are joined at the hip, or using the same toothpaste Nick, these are all rhetoric and childish comments.
Let's hope that the relations are far closer then what they were at the begining of WW2, so that if we require help we do not have to starve and be humiliated for nearly two whole years until America comes to our rescue.
At the moment most European countries are joined at the hip with Russia far more then we are with America, and the reason is, ENERGY SUPPLIES FROM RUSSIA.
Isn't that more realistic Nick?

Tony Blair tried to save the world by poking his nose into Iraq, President George W. Bush tried to save himself by pulling the rug from under Iraq, and the Middle-east put its head in the sand. They all ended up in a mess. While the whole enterprise was ill-advised, and the fallout encourages some people beat their chests and tear their shirts over this, I see opportunity.

Not to put too fine a point on it, European imperial arrogance, American greed, and Middle-Eastern cowardice have been good servants but poor masters. The lessons of excess are staring us in the face in a way that's impossible to ignore. This stupidity isn't very profitable for anyone, so cracking a deal where everyone wins looks appealing.

Henry Kissinger's comment that "Ostentatious dissociation from the US just sets up a quarrel" contains some truth but it's only a partial view. It's just more winners and losers dualistic thinking, and creates problems in its own way. One may have common aspirations but not be joined at the hip or, as the Tao might put it, "same pond, different fish".

How many do-gooders will march for that? Zilch. Nada. Zip.

Go on, surprise me.

Perhaps I may stand on the other side of the fence Gordon Brown is a prudent character and this could be tested during his prime ministerial position until the next election.
People have a tendency an instinct that is natural to judge others by the actions rather than the words, not necessarily so, we are asking Gordon Brown for an answer to an insular dilemma the asking factor is not a public debate more of a candid individual one as we are or should be aware it may well be glorious it could be better.
Do we really want to read about toothbrushes and who is fooling who, no, disregard that as it is inconsequential purely public and plainly media.

Tony Blair may have led the country into fool safe priorities but his leadership is non the less noted.
It is a sign of the times we get swayed or mislaid by politics, that is a fact.
Buying votes off the common people or the more afforded due to class should be ordered out, it is disgraceful.
Spin Doctors what exactly is a spin doctor amazing turn one on ones head? Doctor our eyes then possibly we could see.
And to my politics I don't really have any rooted down so to speak I just want a peaceful world.
And that is really asking.

You get the feeling of a celebrity couple just broke up going through the motions for the benefit of the cameras.

I think that Bush is worried and is trying to woo Brown

Anyone who thinks PM Gordon Brown is going to be Bush's "lap dog" should have second thoughts. Referring to their meetings as "full and frank", which the ´óÏó´«Ã½ suggests is normal diplomatic code for an argument suggests Mr Brown is going to keep his distance.

The PM's quick response to both the botched bombings and the floods, has him running high in the polls at present. Why would he take a chance by getting too close to a failed lame duck President?