A 25,000-word exposé in the May issue of Vanity Fair reports that President Bush first asked British Prime Minister Tony Blair to support the removal of Saddam Hussein from power at a private White House dinner nine days after the Sept. 11 attacks.

The source of the article is Sir Christopher Meyer, the former British ambassador to Washington, who was at the dinner with Blair.

In addition, Vanity Fair reports Blair helped force the U.S. to go to the United Nations because Blair warned that he could be toppled from power if the allies did not do so.