Precisely. According to what I've heard, Howe's letter is actually a strategic move, intended to force the issue at the HOB meeting. Bp. Salmon of South Carolina will apparently be the spokesman for the position laid out in Howe's letter.
The Denis (or Dennis - I've seen it both ways) Canon says that the property belongs to the national church. But what if the national church no longer is united with the international church?
That is the crux of the issue. There are a LOT of things other than Anglican Communion issues that are hanging out there. For example, the Roman Catholics have broken off all communication with the Anglicans -- the Pope reportedly won't even talk to Rowan Williams -- until the Communion does something about the American church, and specifically Frank Griswold and the "same sex" lobby.
The Primates will use this, of course, in their decision to "disinvite" the ECUSA from Communion gatherings. This will presumably open the way for the RCs to re-open ecumenical discussions, sans the ECUSA.
When all is said and done, I think we end up with a set of "communion" entities who have "ecumenical relations" with the Catholic and Orthodox churches; and we'll have the nominal ECUSA (the technical term is "rump" ECUSA -- a rather ironic linguistic twist), which is not part of the Communion, and has no relations with those other bodies. The mantle of legitimacy will de facto shift to the "communion" entities -- which makes the application Dennis Canon a lot less obvious than it currently seems.
I don't think they'll do it. It guarantees litigation. They're going to mealy-mouth and hope it'll all die down like the 1978 split if they just delay long enough.
You're almost certainly correct. From the standpoint of legal actions, the folks at 815 will be a lot less certain of their chances in court, and I really can see them choosing to cut their losses by working out a deal.
Merely a shallow crack, however. As long as Anglicans keep ordaining women as priestesses, the chances of reconciliation are small.