President George W. Bush says the survival of liberty in America"increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands."

AUDIO: "The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion offreedom in all the world."

This was a major subject of his inaugural speech as Mister Bushbegan his second four years in office Thursday. The forty-thirdpresident of the United States said human freedom is the only forceof history that can defeat hatred.

For half a century, he said, America defended its freedom "bystanding watch on distant borders." Then, years of quiet followedwhat he called "the shipwreck of communism."

AUDIO: "And then there came a day of fire."

... the terrorist attacks on the United States in two thousandone.

Mister Bush said the policy of the United States is to supportdemocratic movements in every nation and culture. The goal, he said,is "ending tyranny in our world."

He said oppression is alwayswrong, yet freedom must be chosen. America will not force its way ofgovernment on the unwilling, he said.

Mister Bush said tens of millions have their freedom because, inhis words, "we have acted in the great liberating tradition of thisnation." He did not speak directly about the war in Iraq. But saidthe sacrifice of those who died for their country will always behonored.

Snow was on the ground in Washington, temperatures werenear-freezing, and security was extremely heavy. Still, hundreds ofthousands gathered for the inaugural activities. The crowds includedsome protesters opposed to Mister Bush and the Iraq war.

The president spoke of the unity that the nation felt after theSeptember eleventh attacks. He said he would try to heal politicaldivisions.

He also said the United States "cannot carry the message offreedom" while there is still racism at home.

Mister Bush spoke again of his desire to build what he calls an"ownership society." He promised to widen the ownership of homes andbusinesses, retirement savings and health insurance. More detailsare expected in his State of the Union speech on February second.

His second-term goals include changes in the Social Securitysystem for retired workers, and also in tax laws and the civil legalsystem. There are also record trade deficits and the future in Iraqto deal with.

Mister Bush defeated John Kerry with fifty-one percent of thepopular vote in November. He led Republicans to bigger majoritiesover Democrats in Congress. Yet his approval rating is low comparedto other recent presidents at the start of a second term. His ratingaveraged around fifty percent in several recent public opinionstudies.

Political scientists note that American presidents can find itmore difficult to get congressional support in their second, andfinal, term. There have also been some second-term political crises.The last president re-elected, Bill Clinton, was charged in Congresswith lying about his relationship with a White House worker. TheSenate found him not guilty.

In the News in VOA Special English was written by Jerilyn Watson.I'm Steve Ember.