GLASGOW, Scotland -- Gordon Brown becomes Britain's new Prime Minister today amid growing speculation over what kind of foreign policy can be expected from a seasoned politician who has rarely spoken out on foreign affairs in the past. Despite recent speeches on Britishness, national security and climate change, Browns views about the wider global policy agenda, and whether they will differ greatly from Tony Blair, are not yet clear.
Central to Blair's foreign policy was his close relationship with George W. Bush and his loyal backing for U.S.-led military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Given the situation he inherits in Iraq and the Middle East, Brown will face the most urgent foreign policy challenges -- as well as the steepest learning curve -- in the Middle East and the wider Islamic world. ...
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