ROME, Italy (CNN) -- President Bush's farewell tour of Europe took him to Rome on Thursday, where he met with his friend and ally, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
President George W. Bush with Italian General Rolando Mosca Moschini arriving at Rome's presidential palace.
Iran and Afghanistan were high on the agenda but at a news conference Bush was also asked about a U.S. Supreme Court blow to his administration's war on terror policies.
Bush said he disagreed with the ruling that Guantanamo Bat detainees have the right to challenge their detention in federal courts, but he would abide by it.
"Congress and the administration worked very carefully on a piece of legislation that set the appropriate procedures in place as to how to deal with the detainees," he said.
"We'll study this opinion, and we'll do so with this in mind to determine whether or not additional legislation might be appropriate so that we can safely say, truly say to the American people. 'We are doing everything we can to protect you.'"
Berlusconi, known for his flamboyant style, has remained one of Bush's staunchest allies in Europe over the years. The Italian began his second term as prime minister in 2001, months after Bush entered the White House and shortly before the September 11 attacks.
He has shown unwavering support for the president ever since.
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"I agree with the United States even before it speaks out," Berlusconi once said.
The prime minister recently wrote in Time Magazine that he and Bush share a sense of justice, freedom, and democracy, something a former Berlusconi spokesman said has kept the two leaders close.
"I think that Berlusconi is moved by this feeling that he is -- and Bush as well, I imagine -- that they are on the right side of history, that they are defending the good of this world in this difficult confrontation which is going on between good and bad," said Jas Gawronski.
Berlusconi's support for Bush has been important, especially where the issue of troops for Iraq and Afghanistan have been concerned. Italy initially contributed troops to the war in Iraq but no longer has troops in the country; it still takes part in the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
Iraq could have also been one of the things that cost Berlusconi reelection in 2006. Polls show a majority of Italians oppose the war, and voters clearly didn't believe Berlusconi when he said he tried to convince the U.S. president not to invade Iraq.
Berlusconi won reelection in April this year.
Italy wants to ease fighting restrictions on its soldiers deployed in Afghanistan, as requested by NATO and the United States, but in exchange it wants a greater role in dealing with Iran's nuclear threat.
Iran was also a major topic during Bush's stops this week in Germany, where he met with Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Slovenia, where he met with Slovenian and EU leaders.
Leading up to his afternoon meeting with Berlusconi, Bush held a roundtable discussion Thursday morning with Italian entrepreneurs who worked or will work at U.S. companies in Silicon Valley in California. He then met with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at Rome's Quirinale Palace. On Friday, Bush planned to meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican before traveling on to France and Britain.
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