British Prime Minister Tony Blair will visit the White House later this week to talk with US President George Bush about the way forward in Iraq, a White House spokesman said today.
"The prime minister has been in Iraq, so I think what they are going to be doing is talk about Iraq and the next step forward," Tony Snow said.
Asked about a report that Blair has ordered aides to prepare for a troop withdrawal next year, Snow said, "I can't speak for what the prime minister is going to do. He may report on his desires."
Mr Snow noted that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said he would like Iraqi forces to be taking much more control of the country by the end of the year.
Blair said in Baghdad that establishment of a unity government means there is no longer any justification for armed insurgency and that the best way to get foreign troops to leave is for the insurgents to lay down arms.
In a joint statement the two prime minister said the plans were to have 325,000 members in Iraqi security forces by the end of the, compared to 264,000 currently serving in the army and police force.
Britain has about 8,000 service members in Iraq.