US President George W Bush may use force against Iraq in a manner "necessary and appropriate" to protect US national security and enforce UN resolutions, according to a deal with House leaders this afternoon.
"The president is pleased that the resolution gives him the tools he needs to deal with Saddam Hussein's threat and that it does so in a way that does not tie his hands," President Bush spokesman Mr Ari Fleischer said.
The US leader has told the United Nations that if it fails to approve a tough new weapons inspection regime to strip Saddam of any nuclear, chemical or biological arms, Washington will act alone or with its allies.
Mr Fleischer, announcing the deal shortly after the White House made the agreed-upon resolution public, said Mr Bush believes that chances for approval by Republicans and opposition Democrats in the House was "exceptionally strong."
The resolution requires Bush to notify House and Senate leaders before any military action, or not later than 48 hours after it begins, that diplomacy has been exhausted or is doomed to fail.
It also mandates that he assure the leaders that attacking Iraq will not hamper the war on terrorism he declared after the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
AFP