The news from Al-Reuters and the words people refuse to hear

All the problems in the world, and it's all Bush's fault. This from Reuters:

The rest of the world will be watching with anxiety when President Bush is inaugurated Thursday for a second time, fearing the most powerful man on the planet may do more harm than good. Many world leaders, alienated by Bush's go-it-alone foreign policy and the U.S.-led war in Iraq, would have preferred him to lose the U.S. election last November. Since his victory, they have been urging him to listen and consult more.

Now, I seem to remember that Bush was just sitting around, refusing to engage the world up until September 10, 2001, which enraged everyone. Then, September 11 happened and Bush realized that there are actually people who would like to slaughter us wholesale to achieve hegemony. And he responded. (And that's when I flipped my own switch, abandoning the liberals and becoming a full-fledged conservative.) Apparently the rest of the world hasn't caught on yet. I offer you Psalm 115:4-8, permanent words of wisdom about false idols (and, I think, those who worship those idols):

4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 5They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 8They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Despite 9/11, despite Beslan, despite Theo Van Gogh, despite the slaughter of innocents in Israel, despite the nightclub bombing in Bali, they see, but they do not understand. Two places to go if you would like to increase your understanding are MEMRI and Jihad Watch. You'll also find good insights at Daniel Pipes' website. And it's no use shrugging this off and saying that the disparity of power between the U.S. and its enemies makes the whole thing a non-contest, with conservatives being mere xenophobic hysterics. I'll only remind you that termites -- itty, bitty termites -- can bring down a house if unchecked. We're the house, and termites have announced their presence and intentions. We'd be fools not to listen.