Powell rebukes Kennedy in rare political foray

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Secretary of State Colin Powell rebuked a leading Democratic senator for comparing the war in Iraq to Vietnam and suggesting President George W. Bush's policies had incited hatred against the United States.

In a rare foray into politics, Powell said Senator Ted Kennedy, an outspoken Bush opponent and supporter of Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry, should be "more restrained and careful" when discussing Iraq and the war on terrorism.

At the same time, Powell also stressed that American democracy was enhanced by debate and admitted that he had not seen all of the Monday speech in which Kennedy made the comments.

"I was in Haiti and didn't see the whole speech, but I must say that Senator Kennedy, I think, should be a little more restrained and careful in his comments because we are at war," Powell said in an interview on a nationally syndicated radio ...