Bush assumes second mandate while thousands protest against the war

From Granma

WASHINGTON, January 20.— On assuming his second mandate today, Emperor George W. Bush launched a new crusade: 'to bring an end to tyranny' around the world and the 'ultimate' objective of his administration because – he said – 'The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands.'

According to the ANSA agency, the US president did not use the word 'terrorism' once, although he did refer to his strategy for confronting it. Instead, his speech was full of references on a spiritual level and to the founding fathers.

From the seat of honor, located on the steps leading up to the White House, W. Bush appeared to reveal the divine will, that which, following the attacks of September 11, 2001, awarded the United States the messianic role of combating terrorism and hunting down weapons of mass destruction.

Announcing an increase in interventionism as the axis of his foreign policy in this new stage, he justified the need to extend the empire’s hegemonic power, and stressed that for as long as entire 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.'

Finally, without mentioning Afghanistan, Iraq, Osama Bin Laden or Al Qaeda, Bush acknowledged that 'his solemn duty' is to protect his country from 'new attacks and emerging threats', warning that the United States 'will encourage reform in other governments.'

THOUSANDS OF US CITIZENS PROTEST

Meanwhile, thousands of people gathered in Washington and other cities to protest against the war in Iraq and reject George W. Bush on the day he assumed his second mandate in the White House.

Shouting slogans such as 'Stop the War' and 'Take us to the White House', the demonstrators assembled in different parts of the city to march towards the route of the inaugural parade, many people crowding around checkpoints set up by the police.

'So many US and Iraqi lives have been lost because of a lie,' said Maureen Whaley, a 40-year-old woman.

'They have told these lies in our name,' was the angry retort of Tabitha Dallenbach, a 19-year-old whose lips were painted bright pink and who sported a star on her temple.

'What I experienced in Iraq fills me with shame and remorse, for that reason I condemn this war,' announced Adán Delgado, a former soldier who spoke at the rally.

At his side and lying in a park in Washington were hundreds of cardboard coffins representing those who have died in Iraq.

The demonstrators, who came from all over the country, enjoyed a favorable reception in the city of Washington where some 90% of the electorate voted for Democrat Senator John Kerry in the elections.