Now that George W. Bush is fairly well placed in the White House for another four years it is important for us in the Arab world to read through his swearing in speech and try to figure out how to deal with him.
Bush dwelt only a minute or two on the past and then spoke of the day of fire. He did not mention September 11 by name.
He spoke of self-government, of the dignity of man, of the blessings of God, and that no one deserved to be a slave. He allayed fears of many that America was trying to impose its style of government on the unwilling.
Rather he said its goal was to help others find their own voice, attain their own freedom and chart their own way.
He had a few words for tyrants. He did not mince words. They were punctuated with carrots and sticks. And to reformers he had words of encouragement.
He did mention the Quran when he said the "edifice of American character is built in families, supported by communities with standards and sustained in our national life".
The focus was totally on freedom. Iraq was never mentioned, neither Iran, nor Al Qaida, nor Bin Laden. This was a macro speech.
Watching him speak, along with many Arabs who have an idea about American politics, I felt Bush did not go into details because he would have opened more speculation. Also, this was an inaugural speech.
Drive the point home
He wanted to drive the point home that he wants to go down in history as the president that made the world a safer place. President Truman started the Cold War. President Reagan ended it. And Bush wants to usher the era of human freedom.
Arabs will welcome his speech. No right-minded Arab man, woman or child wants to live under tyranny. No Arab would like to be deprived of free speech, free media and the right of free movement; we all aspire to it.
We want to be like our peers and counterparts in Europe and Asia. We also have a dream like the American dream of upward mobility, of bettering ourselves, of providing a better future for our children
For all this we need peace. We need an environment that helps us produce a mental frame of mind that focuses on the positive rather than the negative.
We want to open our televisions in the morning to read about higher stock prices, new contracts, and appointments of brilliant CEOs.
Instead we are plagued by scenes of suicide bombers, death and hordes of Israeli soldiers pointing their assault rifles at Palestinian teenagers.
Bush said: "No one is fit to be a master and no one deserves to be a slave". And we want to hold him to his words.
The Israelis cannot be masters of a land they occupied in June 1967 and the Palestinians cannot be slaves in their own land.
The slave can rebel just as Spartacus did. The oppressed can rise up using whatever tools at their means. They may use non-violent or violent means.
Both, however, are protracted ones and cause misery to the ruler and the ruled. Bush quotes Abraham Lincoln: "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and, under the rule of a just God, cannot long retain it".
He also said: "Today, America speaks anew to the peoples of the world: All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: The United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you".
Mr President, the Palestinians hearing your words now await your deeds.
When wiser counsels prevail and the diehards in the Israeli government realise that end of occupation will usher peace not only to the Holy Land but to the Middle East, we will know that Bush's words were addressed to all.
Forces of evil
There is no axis of evil. There are forces of evil and I hope that Bush who has a strong faith and is a religious man will muster personal courage and call a spade a spade.
The Arab world harbours no grudge against the United States. In fact the Muslim world was America's ally in the cold war.
However, Bush has to realise that his inaugural speech should be followed by a policy of rapprochement and dialogue.
Blanket accusations and threats that please only vested interests whose aim is to create a wedge between America and the Arabs will not serve America's long-term interests.
Yes, the spread of democracy is welcomed but, as a French political analyst stated, "spreading democracy is not like spraying perfume or fragrance".
Solid dialogue, understanding and empathy are required.
America can be a harbinger of peace and progress provided it listens to people outside its own realms and provided that it realises that there is a just and divine power that watches not only over America as Bush prayed but also over the whole world.
Khaled Al Maeena is Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, Saudi Arabia.
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