Washington: With polls showing a convincing victory for John F Kerry in the first Presidential debate, President George W Bush launched a fresh attack on his Democratic rival saying "Kerry Doctrine" would give foreign Governments veto power over the United States' national security decisions.

But the Democrats quickly retorted, accusing that a "desperate" Bush was "lying" about Kerry's statements.

During the debate Kerry, like Bush, accepted the doctrine of pre-emption but said that he would seek a broad alliance before shooting from the hip, as he implied President Bush did in Iraq.

Bush, in a speech in Ohio yesterday (Oct 2, 2004), said, "When he laid out the Kerry Doctrine, he said that America has to pass a 'global test' before we can use American troops to defend ourselves. Think about this: Senator Kerry's approach to foreign policy would give foreign Governments veto power over our national security decisions."

"I have a different view," said Bush. "When our country is in danger, the President's job is not to take an international poll.... I will continue to work every day with our friends and allies for the sake of freedom and peace.

"But our national security decisions will be made in the Oval Office, not in foreign capitals," he said.

Bush senior adviser Karl Rove said that Kerry's policy is based on "some obscure, difficult-to-pin-down impossible-for-him-to-name foreign power that has to approve of us before we either have a genuine coalition or whether we are justified in protecting America."