Bush, Blair to discuss Iraq's future during discussions at White House

Photo: Bush, Blair to discuss Iraq's future during discussions at White House

"They're not going to race out and say, "We're all coming home,"' White House press secretary Tony Snow told reporters in advance of the leaders' meeting later Thursday.

"You know, there aren't going to be people kissing in Times Square tomorrow. But I do think what you will have is a very forward-leaning set of discussions about how to proceed forward," Bush's chief spokesman said.

A joint news conference was set for 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT).

Blair, who visited Baghdad this week, also is expected to discuss with Bush Iraqi plans for an international conference to back its government and seek Bush's support for increased U.N. support for the war-torn nation.

Both Bush and Blair have seen their poll numbers drop sharply and are under pressure to bring home some of their soldiers. Blair's visit follows his trip to Iraq, where he said coalition troops were in a position to begin handing over control of some Iraqi provinces to local security forces.

Iraq's new prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, said his forces are capable of taking control of security in all provinces within 18 months, but need more recruits, training and equipment.

"He (the Iraqi prime minister) is talking very assertively about what he wants to see on the ground," Snow said. "I think he told one interviewer ... that he wants to have Iraqi troops in the lead by the end of 2007. Conditions on the ground are going to ultimately determine that."

There are about 132,000 U.S. troops in Iraq; officials have said they would like to have about 100,000 by year's end. About 8,000 British troops are in Iraq, the AP reports.

Blair's spokesman said Thursday in London that he could not comment on claims that the deployment of British and U.S. troops could be completely reconfigured, with more resources concentrated in the country's most volatile regions.