The New York Times is reporting that the compromise resolution being worked over by the US and France is all but doomed. After a month of negotiations, neither side has given any ground and both are equally convinced that they can get a majority vote in the Security Council. As a result, the White House rhetoric has veered towards openly advocating assassination and revolution in Iraq.

Iraq presented a letter to the UN today, agreeing to admit inspectors on 19 October. The letter failed, however, to respond directly to a letter from UNMOVIC head Hans Blix, which requested confirmation of the conclusions from the earlier meetings in Vienna. Iraq says it endorsed the joint press conference that followed the meetings, and Blix's briefing notes two days after that. All other questions are being dealt with in good faith, says Iraqi UN ambassador Mohammed Aldouri. "We are not surprised that the Iraqis are once again attempting to delay and deceive," says the US ambassador's spokesman. The UN will begin open debate on the Iraq issue on Wednesday, at the behest of South Africa, which leads the 131-nation majority "Non-Aligned Movement."

In order to obtain an unforgiving resolution from the UN Security Council, the United States is providing a wide range of concessions to the members of the Council. The Boston Globe has China asking the US to stop interfering in Tibet and Taiwan. France and Russia are asking for concessions on Iraqi oil. Russia would also like American sympathy with its actions in Georgia.

The House and the Senate are well into the debate, but all the drama is in the Senate. House Democratic leaders have already pledged to back a bipartisan bill. The Senate Democrats are more unruly. Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-South Dakota) is backing a resolution, while Senator Robert Byrd (D-West Virginia) leads the opposition. In any case, a resolution is almost guaranteed to pass. To register his disapproval, Senator Byrd has pledged to filibuster the Senate vote, delaying it for up to 30 hours. A Congressional resolution is important not just for constitutional reasons, but because President Bush needs the backing of congress in his push for new UN Security Council resolutions.