Senator Kennedy: US policy in Iraq is blunder after blunder

America's ongoing military entanglement in Iraq has become President George Bush's Vietnam, US Senator &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/usa/2003/04/04/45595.html ' target=_blank>Edward Kennedy, a leading member of the opposition Democratic party, said.

The harsh words refer to the US role and ultimate defeat in the 1964-1975 Vietnam war. Iraq is "clearly is George Bush's &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/world/2002/03/26/27188.html ' target=_blank>Vietnam," said Kennedy, speaking on CBS's "Face The Nation" program.

Kennedy then blasted Bush's claim in an interview in Sunday's Washington Post that his Iraq policy was endorsed by the US public because of his November 2004 re-election victory, reports China Daily.

According to the Boston Globe, Bush, in the interview with the Post, said he wanted to withdraw troops "as quickly as possible," but he did not express agreement with a statement by departing Secretary of State &to=http:// english.pravda.ru/main/2002/01/21/25886.html ' target=_blank>Colin L. Powell that troops could begin coming home later this year.

The troops "won't be leaving until we have completed our mission," Bush said. "And part of the mission is to train Iraqis so they can fight the terrorists."

Kennedy, asked whether the United States should think about withdrawing from Iraq, responded, ''We cannot continue the way that we are continuing." The Massachusetts Democrat opposed the resolution that gave Bush the authority to go to war and has been consistently critical of Bush's conduct of the conflict.

"The policy is ridiculous," Kennedy said. "The policy is blunder after blunder."