News & Features | God and guns

News & Features | God and guns: "George W. BUSH’S breathtaking arrogance and dangerous simple-mindedness may have reached new heights — or depths — in his Inauguration Day speech. On the surface, his call for " freedom " and " liberty " across the world sounded like lofty rhetoric, the sort of ceremonial hot air likely to be forgotten soon after it’s delivered. But if we have learned nothing else about this president, we certainly should know that when he lectures other countries on what he expects them to do, that generally is just a first step.

Bush delivered his speech at a time when 150,000 American troops are risking (and losing) their lives in Iraq, and just hours after Vice-President Dick Cheney rattled his saber at Iraq’s giant neighbor, Iran. So when Bush says that " 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, " it would seem to make eminent good sense to try to figure out exactly what he means — and to stop him before he can act.