Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz said yesterday that Iraq would not accept any changes to the existing terms of weapons inspections in his country, referring to the unpublished draft UN Security Council resolution leaked Friday.

In London, between 150,000 (the official estimate) and 400,000 (the organizer's estimate) people marched through London to protest military action in Iraq. The march was organized by the Stop the War Coalition and the Muslim Association of Britain, and included London Mayor Ken Livingstone, a number of Anglican Bishops, and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter. It was also meant to protest Israel's policy against Palestinians in the West Bank. There were three arrests.

In Rome, 100,000 people attended a demonstration organized by the Communist Refoundation party.

There is not much coverage on this right now, but there are reports in the Jerusalem Post that the IDF has commandos inside western Iraq scouting for Scud missle sites that could be used to attack Israel.

After some inspecific hints from Secretary Rumsfeld and President Bush, National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice has announced on PBS's "The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" that there is specific and documented evidence that Iraq helped train al Qaeda. "This is a story that is unfolding, and it is getting clear, and we're learning more. ... When the picture is clear, we'll make full disclosure about it," Rice said. She was also careful to not draw any connection between Hussein and September 11th: "we don't want to push this too far." This information apparently came from Al Qaeda detainees, and was released about two months ago. It's getting another hearing this week, for obvious reasons.

Al Gore made a speech on Monday attacking the Bush Administration's policy on Iraq. Gore suggests that unilateral action on Iraq is damaging the war against Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Most useful Gore soundbite:

"Great nations persevere and then prevail, they do not jump from one unfinished task to another. We should remain focused on the war against terrorism."

Less play for Former President Jimmy Carter, who also came out against the resolution: "It is a radical departure from traditions that have shaped our nation's policy by Democratic and Republican presidents for more than 50 years."

Amr "An attack on Iraq will open the gates of Hell" Moussa, head of the Arab League, through the Jersusalem Post, insists that the UN place inspectors in Iraq to verify the American claims about Iraqi weapons programs. He stops short of endorsing military action, though. He claims that ongoing problems, like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are already destabilizing the region.

CNN characterized the Democratic response to the President's draft resolution a little more forcefully today: "immediate criticism from Senate Democratic leaders even as they continued to back Bush's contention that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is a threat to the United States." CNN also mentions Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Michigan) as saying that both Democrats and Republicans want changes to the language. Levin is specifically worried about unilateralism, saying "I want him to look down the barrel of a gun with the world behind it, so that it's not just the United States versus Saddam, it's the world versus Saddam." Levin is also concerned with the vague language of the resolution, "There needs to be some changes ... it's not even limited to Iraq." Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, likewise cited the use of the word "region" in the resolution, which he considered too broad a mandate. Based on the Republican responses, this language will likely change.