‘‘The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism,’’ Powell wrote.

Powell, Rice fire off letters in clash over terror legislation as GOP defies Bush
By ANNE PLUMMER FLAHERTY - Associated Press Writer - 09/15/06
WASHINGTON — The battle between the White House and a group of powerful Republican senators over the treatment of terrorist suspects touched off warring letters from President Bush’s two secretaries of state.

As the clash intensified, the GOP-led Senate Armed Services Committee voted Thursday to defy Bush and approve terror-detainee legislation he has vowed to block.

Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia, normally a Bush supporter, pushed the measure through his Armed Services Committee by a 15-9 vote, with Warner and three other GOP lawmakers joining Democrats.

But first, Colin Powell, who served during Bush’s first term, delivered a stinging blow to the administration by siding with the senators in opposition to the president’s plan to detain, interrogate and prosecute terror suspects.

All but rubbing in Powell’s previous post as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Bush’s father, the first President Bush, the letterhead identified its writer as ‘‘Gen. Colin L. Powell, USA (Retired).’’

‘‘The world is beginning to doubt the moral basis of our fight against terrorism,’’ Powell wrote.

Powell said Bush’s bill, by redefining the kind of treatment the Geneva Conventions allow, ‘‘would add to those doubts. Furthermore, it would put our own troops at risk.’’ ...