Britain's parliament gave Prime Minister Tony Blair a green light yesterday to wage war on Iraq, despite a massive revolt within his own party, rejecting a motion which said the case for action had not been made.
Members of parliament voted by 396 to 217 against the anti-war motion, backing instead the government's rival measure demanding "all means necessary" be used to force Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein to disarm. The motion backing the government's position was passed by 412 votes to 149.
Blair had begged lawmakers to back him on the brink of battle as he faced the biggest crisis of his career, flying in the face of public and party opposition to war.
"We must hold firm," he urged parliament, "because the outcome of this issue will now determine more than the fate of the Iraqi regime and more than the future of the Iraqi people.
"It will determine the pattern of international politics for the next generation."
Blair even hinted he would resign rather than back down, saying that if parliament voted against military action, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein would be left immeasurably stronger and other "tyrants" would take courage.
"I would not be a party to such a course," he said.
The support of opposition Conservatives ensured he did not have to back up that threat but Blair has sustained real damage.
With the vote still being dissected, it appeared 130 or more Labour Party members defied him - the biggest rebellion in living memory - and three ministers, including the high profile former foreign secretary Robin Cook, have quit the government in protest at a unilateral war.
Last month, 122 Labour MPs defied Blair's warlike stance. Party sources said if that figure had reached more than half Labour's 411 members, it could have proved fatal for him.
The vote was the toughest of tests as Blair prepares to authorise British participation in a war without a UN mandate and with a majority of the public opposing the conflict.
He spent most of the day in parliament with key ministers, drumming up support, charming and twisting arms. His wife Cherie was even rumoured to have worked the telephones.
Government aides hailed the result as backing his aim to confront Saddam. But some in his party will never forgive him.
"When not enough states could be bought or bullied, the UN route was cast aside," Labour MP John McDonnell said.
International Development Secretary Clare Short - conspicuously seated alongside Blair as he made his last pre-war pitch to parliament - brought some respite for the premier.
She had called him reckless over his Iraq policy and had vowed to resign if Britain went to war without UN backing.
But yesterday she decided to stay in her job.
Blair portrayed the Iraq crisis as a watershed in a dangerous new world as he struggled to win his party and people over to looming war.