The U.S. must concentrate on securing new and alternative energy resources as well as investing in nuclear power, said former secretary of state Colin Powell at a Houston World Affairs Council program recently. Powell spoke on a number of geopolitical topics and on energy.

Powell is currently a strategic limited partner for Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield & Byers, a California-based venture-capital company with investments in, among other ventures, communication companies that provide software and services for the oil and gas industry.

The fiery speech Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez delivered to the United Nations demonstrated poor leadership skills, Powell said.

Along with facing threats to national security, Powell said that seeking out energy sources is the "second major game" the U.S. must realistically face. While encouraging the development of alternate resources, he said the U.S. has to keep looking for new resources and develop nuclear power options to avoid over-dependency on hydrocarbons.

Criticizing the Chinese model of diplomacy, power does not come from the barrel of a gun, but from free trade, he added. He also spoke of Russian President Vladimir Putin and how he and Bush differed on their views of him.

Powell said, "Bush told me, 'Colin, I looked in his eyes and saw a soul.' I said, 'Really? Well, I look in his eyes and see a little KGB.'"