US President George W. Bush began his second term in office at the White House yesterday after vowing in a tough inauguration speech to overthrow tyranny and spread freedom and democracy to the "darkest corners" of the world.
"I'm looking forward to putting my heart and soul to make this country as promising a place as it can be and the world as peaceful a place as it can possibly be," Bush said late on Thursday at one of nine inaugural balls he and first lady Laura Bush visited before returning to the White House.
Amid the pomp and ceremony of the 55th US presidential inauguration -- the first since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks -- thousands of protesters joined cheering well-wishers on Thursday along Bush's route from his swearing-in at the Capitol back to the White House.
"It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world," Bush said.
In a televised speech moments after taking the oath of office under an unprecedented security blanket, Bush warned "the rulers of outlaw regimes" to ease restrictions on dissent and declared that victory over terrorism required promoting freedom around the globe.
Demonstrators jeered or turned their backs as his armored limousine led a slow convoy down Pennsylvania Avenue, some waving signs that read "Guilty of War Crimes" or "In fighting monsters, we are becoming one."
While Bush did not single out any countries for criticism, Vice President Dick Cheney said Iran was "right at the top of the list." Other aides have mentioned Belarus, Cuba, Myanmar, North Korea and Zimbabwe.
"As long as whole regions of the world simmer in resentment and tyranny, prone to ideologies that feed hatred and excuse murder, violence will gather, and multiply in destructive power, and cross the most defended borders and raise a mortal threat," Cheney said.
Bush, his first term scarred by terrorism and marked by wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, mentioned none of those crises by name as he offered conciliatory words to allies who broke with Washington over whether to oust former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
"All the allies of the United States can know: We honor your friendship, we rely on your counsel, and we depend on your help," Bush said.
Bush, who has the worst approval ratings of any reelected president since Richard Nixon in 1973, told the polarized US public: "We have known divisions, which must be healed to move forward in great purposes, and I will strive in good faith to heal them."
First lady Laura Bush and twin daughters Barbara and Jenna stood at Bush's side as he swore on the steps of the US Capitol to defend the US and uphold the Constitution.
Bush said spreading freedom was "not primarily the task of arms, though we will defend ourselves and our friends by force of arms when necessary."
With his trademark optimism, Bush spoke of a fire that had been kindled in many people's minds, and vowed that "one day, this untamed fire of freedom will reach the darkest corners of our world."
Also see stories:
White House denies Taiwan snub
FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION: The UK would continue to reinforce ties with Taiwan ‘in a wide range of areas’ as a part of a ‘strong unofficial relationship,’ a paper said The UK plans to conduct more freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, British Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs David Lammy told the British House of Commons on Tuesday. British Member of Parliament Desmond Swayne said that the Royal Navy’s HMS Spey had passed through the Taiwan Strait “in pursuit of vital international freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.” Swayne asked Lammy whether he agreed that it was “proper and lawful” to do so, and if the UK would continue to carry out similar operations. Lammy replied “yes” to both questions. The
‘OF COURSE A COUNTRY’: The president outlined that Taiwan has all the necessary features of a nation, including citizens, land, government and sovereignty President William Lai (賴清德) discussed the meaning of “nation” during a speech in New Taipei City last night, emphasizing that Taiwan is a country as he condemned China’s misinterpretation of UN Resolution 2758. The speech was the first in a series of 10 that Lai is scheduled to give across Taiwan. It is the responsibility of Taiwanese citizens to stand united to defend their national sovereignty, democracy, liberty, way of life and the future of the next generation, Lai said. This is the most important legacy the people of this era could pass on to future generations, he said. Lai went on to discuss
MISSION: The Indo-Pacific region is ‘the priority theater,’ where the task of deterrence extends across the entire region, including Taiwan, the US Pacific Fleet commander said The US Navy’s “mission of deterrence” in the Indo-Pacific theater applies to Taiwan, Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Stephen Koehler told the South China Sea Conference on Tuesday. The conference, organized by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), is an international platform for senior officials and experts from countries with security interests in the region. “The Pacific Fleet’s mission is to deter aggression across the Western Pacific, together with our allies and partners, and to prevail in combat if necessary, Koehler said in the event’s keynote speech. “That mission of deterrence applies regionwide — including the South China Sea and Taiwan,” he
UNPRECEDENTED: In addition to the approved recall motions, cases such as Ma Wen-chun’s in Nantou are still under review, while others lack enough signatures The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced yesterday that a recall vote would take place on July 26, after it approved the first batch of recall motions targeting 24 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安). Taiwan is in the midst of an unprecedented wave of mass recall campaigns, following a civil society push that echoed a call made by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming (柯建銘) in January to initiate signature drives aimed at unseating KMT legislators. Under the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), Taiwanese can initiate a recall of district-elected lawmakers by collecting
RSS