WASHINGTON (AP) ? President Barack Obama is welcoming British Prime Minister David Cameron to the White House with all the pomp of a state visit.
Amid concerns in Britain that U.S. focus is drifting toward East Asia, Obama is seeking to reassure an old ally with talks on how to coordinate policies on a host of thorny problems.
The two leaders are expected to focus on the Middle East and Afghanistan. Obama and Cameron are trying to ramp up pressure on Iran to reverse steps toward acquiring nuclear weapons capability while staving off a military strike from Israel that they fear would have unpredictable repercussions.
The talks between the two leaders will be followed by a formal White House dinner.