In a historic vote, the United States Congress seals the fate of Saddam Hussein's regime, passing the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002. With 77 senators and 296 representatives voting in favor, President Bush gains the green light to invoke military action against Iraq, citing the threat of weapons of mass destruction. The resolution sets the stage for the Iraq War, a lengthy and costly conflict that will dominate the decade. As the world watches, the die is cast and the drums of war beat louder.