Day of diplomacy for Obama, Cameron in Britain

LONDON - US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron confronted complex security debates over Afghanistan, Libya and economic growth on Wednesday on a day of diplomacy amid testing times for the two allies.

Midway through his six-day, four-country European tour, Obama held private meetings at the prime minister's residence at 10 Downing Street with Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, as well as the two countries' national security teams.

The US president faced a host of knotty problems to work through with his British counterpart, including troop levels in Afghanistan and disagreements over the NATO-led bombing campaign in Libya. His larger mission, though, was to reassure European allies that they still are valued partners in a US foreign policy that increasingly looks to Asia.