More From Abroad

I think I love Le Monde. Is it because I don't really speak French, so I think it's saying what I want it to say? Or is it that I've finally understood French because I understand (but I mean, really understand, you know?) what they're saying?

In his analysis of the inaugural address, Eric Leser notes that GW never mentioned "Iraq," "weapons of mass destruction," "terrorism," or "human rights," but he mentioned "liberty" 27 times. Leser cites Jimmy Carter's national security adviser, the challengingly-named Zbigniew Brzezinzsky, as hearing in this a call for a global Crusade, one in which we no longer talk about "terrorism," but about "tyranny."

The Guardian reports its reaction to the address, with the suggestively ominous headline "Smiles for the family, A fiery warning for the world." In what Julian Borger calls "arguably the most combative inauguration speech for 50 years," he also calls GW's terminology "messianic." "The speech, steeped in religious language, was addressed first to the world and only secondly to the American people. Mr. Bush portrayed a planet consumed by the struggle between tyranny and liberty in which the US would not stand aside." Borger notes that the language of evangelical Christianity drew the loudest cheers from the crowd.

The fact that the world perceived this speech as a combative warning is very troubling, especially when the mainstream media in the US seems to have spun it as something else.

Talking about Condoleeza Rice's confirmation hearing, Jon Stewart asks Steven Colbert of CR's comment, "the time for diplomacy is now," "Is this a sign that this White House is moving away from a unilateralist, some would say more arrogant approach to diplomacy?" And Colbert replies that what she means is that the time for diplomacy is during the hearing. Afterwards, diplomacy will no longer be necessary. It seems that this kind of empty, in-the-moment, self-serving rhetoric is what's being heard by many listening from abroad to the inaugural day address. Behind that rhetoric, the threat is clear. Scary.