British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, right, shakes hands with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left, at his official residence in 10 Downing Street, London, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010. Karzai promised Wednesday to lift the defense burden from the U.S. and its allies, as senior officials gathered in London for a conference to bolster flagging support for the international mission there. (AP Photo/Stefan Rousseau, Pool)