Gordon who?

Anthony Barnett (Princeton, OK): Well here I am in southern New Jersey about to get the morning train into New York and I am emailed from London by Jon asking how the Americans are preparing for Gordon Brown. Unlike the ever alert Nick Robinson I am going to have to miss ABC's Good Morning America (but look forward to catching up with his avoiding the question of Britain's role in Iraq). Brown is now paying the price of not having withdrawn UK troops completely after his first and I thought brilliantly managed visit with George Bush. As for the papers here, well the friend we're staying  with gets the New York Times, printed just up the New Jersey Turnpike. The front page is dominated by a night picture of Iraqi troops withdrawing at speed from Sadr City. Doing just what Brown should have done. Inside there is a picture of Captain Logan Veath of the 25th Infantry pleading with them to stay in their positions. Its damn annoying: you can't persuade the Iraqis to kill and be killed by other Iraqis in order to make their country safe for... Other international stories are the Pope's arrival, saving the Indian tiger, a drug cartel battle to control the Mexican border, Berlusconi's new government. We will see how they cover Britain's hopes and fears tomorrow.