“On September 18, 2001, the House and Senate approved Joint House Resolution 23, authorizing the president to use all ‘necessary and appropriate force’ against those whom he determined ‘planned, authorized, committed, or aided’ the [9/11] attacks. In doing so, Congress effectively abdicated its war-declaring powers and conferred them on the president [Bush]. Since it is now clear that members of the administration had wished for the overthrow of Saddam Hussein long before 9/11, when empowered by Congress to use ‘any force necessary,’ these officials were predisposed to launch a military campaign to unseat Saddam Hussein.”
– Eugene Jarecki, The American Way of War, Page 248