Powell: U.S. made 'serious mistakes' in Iraq

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell on Saturday said the United States has made "serious mistakes" during the Iraq war that have led to the rising violence the country now faces.

Powell, in his keynote speech at the National School Board Association's annual conference in Chicago, also said the United States made visa requirements too strict for foreign students after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. But he steered clear of talking about President Bush's alleged role in leaking classified prewar intelligence on Iraq.

"We made some serious mistakes in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Baghdad," Powell told a crowd of thousands at the McCormick Place conference. "We didn't have enough troops on the ground. We didn't impose our will. And as a result, an insurgency got started, and . . . it got out of control."

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Now, American troops must "stick with the people of Iraq" until order is restored, he said.