Controversial US attorney general Alberto Gonzales has announced he will resign his position as the United States’ top law enforcement official.

John Bolton today said he still hopes the US Senate will vote this year to confirm him as US ambassador to the United Nations and he predicted he would win despite unwavering opposition from Democrats.

In a rout once considered almost inconceivable, Democrats seemingly won a 51st seat in the Senate and regained total control of Congress after 12 years of near-domination by the Republican Party.

US president George Bush gained important new Democratic support for his war resolution, bolstering his expected margin of victory in Congress for broad authority to use force against Iraq.