US President George W Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair will meet at Camp David this evening to discuss diplomatic strategy for possible military action against Iraq.
Unlike other US allies that have expressed deep reservations about launching a pre-emptive military strike against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, Mr Blair has embraced the American president's aggressive stance. "I hate war. Every sensible person does. But sometimes it is the right thing to do," Mr Blair said earlier this week.
It is a familiar role for America's most steadfast ally over a decade of conflict with Baghdad.
After the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait sparked the Gulf crisis, then-British Prime Minister Mrs Margaret Thatcher admonished President Bush's father, then-President George Bush, "Remember, George, this is no time to go wobbly."
The elder Bush later acknowledged the advice helped carry him through the most "troubling days" of the conflict.
British media have portrayed the talks between Mr Bush and Mr Blair as a "council of war" to light the fuse for a military conflict targeting Iraq's alleged weapons-of-mass-destruction programs and seeking Saddam's removal.
But a spokesman for Mr Blair described them only as "an opportunity to cover all issues stemming from Saddam Hussein's continued violation of UN resolutions."
The Bush-Blair meeting at the Maryland presidential retreat will come one day after the president sought support from the leaders of France, Russia and China, which along with the United States and Britain, are the permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Mr Blair met Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal and also talked by phone to the leaders of France and Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested it would not be easy for President Bush to secure UN approval for an attack and expressed "deep doubts" about using force.
French President Jacques Chirac said the UN Security Council should decide what action to take if Baghdad rejected the return of UN weapons inspectors.
Mr Bush will lobby Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien when they meet on Monday, and outline the "serious threat" posed by Iraq's arms programs at the United Nations next Thursday.
President Bush said his goal was to build an international "consensus" to halt Saddam's chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.
Convincing sceptical US allies will not be easy. Many are worried about the consequences for the Middle East. Arab League chief Amr Moussa warned a strike against Iraq would "open the gates of hell."
President Bush is also facing scepticism at home, where key members of Congress are demanding more evidence laying out the imminent threat he says Saddam poses.
The White House said no further evidence was needed to justify possible US action. "There is already a mountain of evidence that Saddam Hussein is gathering weapons for the purpose of using them. And adding additional information is like adding a foot to Mount Everest," White House spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer said.
Mr Bush wants Congress to approve a resolution backing the use of force against Iraq if he decides it is necessary.