US President Bush and the US House of representatives have agreed a resolution that clears the way for military action should diplomatic and peaceful means fail to resolve America's problem with Iraq.
The Senate is still working on a text but both House and Senate are expected sanction the use of force when they vote next week.
Earlier Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister, Tariq Aziz, said the United States is afraid of allowing weapons inspectors into his country because it knows they will find no illegal armaments.
Mr Aziz was responding to comments by US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, who said that newly agreed plans for the return of the United Nations inspectors did not go far enough.
At a press conference during a visit to Turkey, Mr Aziz said no new resolution was needed.
He said if the Americans were sincere, then they should be happy with the agreement reached in Vienna yesterday between Iraqi officials and the chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix.
But, he said, he was not surprised at the American reaction.
At talks in Vienna yesterday, Iraq had agreed that inspectors could return to the country in about two weeks' time.
Iraqi officials also agreed to give the inspectors unlimited access excluding Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces, which are covered by a separate arrangement.
However the Bush administration has said there must be no exemptions.
The US could use its veto power at the UN to prevent weapons inspectors going to Iraq and has hinted that it may do so.
