Iraqi situation calm for now

UN weapons inspectors -- including the American members of the team -- are back in Iraq today, and inspections are to resume on Saturday. Both the US and Iraq are claiming that they got what they wanted in the Russian-brokered settlement.

As Iraqi officials are complementing the Russian efforts in reaching the solution, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright claimed some of the credit for the settlement for the US, saying that US President Bill Clinton spoke to Russian President Boris Yeltsin about using his country's strong Iraqi contacts to negotiate.

Meanwhile, the US military buildup continues, with the arrival of more warplanes to the Gulf region. The continued buildup is in line with earlier US statements that diplomacy must be backed up by military power as well as with unsuccessful US attempts to build regional support for military action.

US Secretary of Defense William Cohen said that the US forces will remain in the area "until there is full compliance" by Iraq with the weapons inspectors.

Although the US has said that no compromises were made in the Russian deal, MSNBC is reporting that fewer American members were included among the inspectors who returned to Iraq. A more balanced selection of nationalities in the composition of inspection groups was a key Iraqi demand in its conflict with the UN.

The UN Security Council will meet today to discuss the Russian proposal. This should shed light on the parameters of the brokered deal.