New Bush term sparks anxiety

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London - As George W Bush kicks off his second term as United States president, many around the world are nervous about the intentions of a leader they regard as cocky, shallow and dangerous. When he says world peace is best promoted by "the expansion of freedom in all the world," the critics wonder: Will he now set his sights on Iran? Will he widen the rift with Europe? Or will he become more conciliatory, seeking to secure a legacy the world will ultimately respect?

There are pockets of support around the world for Bush's foreign policy activism: pre-emptive strikes against perceived threats and the conviction that American muscle is a legitimate tool for spreading democracy. Israelis, for example, are grateful for his strong opposition to terrorism. But the Iraq war has undermined his relationship with allies in Europe. And many here are offended by his unilateralist approach - carried out with a perceived cowboy swagger, and compounded by an overt religiosity out of synch with Europe's secular politics.

A BBC World Service opinion poll released on Wednesday indicated that majorities in seven important countries thought less of Americans because of Bush - led by Turkey with 72%, France 65%, Brazil 59% and Germany 56%. But mixed signals have been perceived from Bush's new team, too.

A hundred anti-Bush demonstrators held a candlelight protest outside the American Embassy in central London, staged by the Stop the War Coalition, which organised mass rallies opposing the Iraq conflict in 2003. Protesters in Germany held a vigil on Wednesday evening in front of Berlin's landmark Brandenburg Gate, holding a dozen American flags upside-down.

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