Kevin,

"..if 1441 had included an automatic move to war if Saddam was not complying (in the view of individual member states), that would have been taken as authorisation for war, whatever happened, short of Saddam packing his bags and departing with all his mates."

That would have been a bad thing??

The reason the second resolution was not put to the vote was because France said that they would veto it.

France and Russia's vested interest is in keeping Saddam Hussein in power - pure and simple, no matter how others try to dress it up.