The following is the text of the British amendment to a second resolution to the U.N. Security Council demanding that Iraq disarm:

Determined to secure full compliance with its decisions and to restore international peace and security in the area,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Reaffirms the need for full implementation of resolution 1441 (2002);

2. Calls on Iraq immediately to take the decisions necessary in the interests of its people and the region;

3. Decides that Iraq will have failed to take the final opportunity afforded by resolution 1441 (2002) unless, on or before 17 March 2003, the Council concludes that Iraq has demonstrated full, unconditional, immediate and active cooperation in accordance with its disarmament obligations under resolution 1441 (2002) and previous relevant resolutions; and is yielding possession of UNMOVIC and the IAEA of all weapons, weapon delivery and support systems and structures, prohibited by resolution 687 (1991) and all subsequent relevant resolutions, and all information regarding prior destruction of such items;

4. Decides to remain seized of the matter.

Assessment Obviously this gives the US automatic authorisation to go to war simply by vetoing any resolution consistent with the terms of Item 3. Hence, it is simply a mean and tricky version of the previous draft, which itself was weaselly in its failure to include an explicit an authorisation of war. The obvious countermove is a resolution imposing specific demands on Iraq in place of what is in effect a demand to satisfy George Bush.