Soaring US budget surplus

[Chris Burford]

I gather that the trend for the US government to run a budget surplus is so 
strong that it may be possible to pay off the national debt by 2012.

I understand the USA is still running a substantial trade deficit.

Could someone spell out if there is any relation at all between a budget 
surplus in the accounts of a national government and, on the other hand, a 
trade deficit.

Chris Burford

London