The politician was referring to a book entitled 'Rise of the Vulcans', about the Bush administration and its' policy advisors.

Wu noted that the White House advisers are ideologues, unlike the Vulcans of Star Trek, "who made their decisions based on logic and fact." Wu went on to say that there are Klingons in the White House. But unlike real Klingons, Wu said, those in the White House "have never fought a battle of their own."

Wu concluded: "Don't let faux Klingons send real Americans to war."

Although the reference to Star Trek went down poorly with right-wingers such as Rush Limbaugh, it was warmly recieved by Judith Barad, a philosophy professor at Indiana State University and author of the book The Ethics of Star Trek.

"It might sound silly to people who loathe Star Trek or are indifferent to it, but I do think science fiction is a good way for society to get a better perspective and to learn what to do in a moral predicament," Barad said.

"We could see the role of leaders reflected in Star Trek characters."

She noted that "Klingons look out for each other, and it certainly doesn't seem like the president is looking out for our troops."

Instead she believes that Wu should have compared the Bush administration to the Cardassians, a militaristic race who occupied the planet Bajor and "were not as concerned with honour as the Klingons were."