Meeting of US and UK Leaders at Camp David - March 26, 2003

Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is set to arrive in Washington today to discuss the Iraq war and its future with President Bush. The leaders of the US and the UK will hold talks at the President's country residence at Camp David, near Washington. Meanwhile, the US Congress is expected to deliberate on President Bush's proposed budget of nearly seventy-five billion dollars for funding the war in Iraq and the global fight against terrorism, which is intended for the next six months. Another related news item indicates that the US Senate has approved an amendment to President Bush's proposal for more than a fifty percent reduction in taxes with modifications, due to concerns that the rising costs of the war will necessitate an increase in taxes. The Senate is also set to review the entire proposed government budget for the year 2004, which amounts to two trillion two hundred billion dollars. John Howard, the Prime Minister of Australia, was also invited to join the meeting of US and UK leaders, but he stated that since Australian forces are currently fighting alongside US and UK troops in Iraq, it is better for him to remain in his country.