President Barack Hussain Obama kicked off his second term with a pledge to resolve US differences with other nations peacefully, and to support democracy from Asia to Africa, from the Americas to the Middle East.

Though his speech was watched across the globe, Obama sketched over foreign policy, disdaining "perpetual war" and promising diplomacy of engagement backed with military steel - though did not dwell on specific crises like Iran.The 44th president repeatedly used the "We the People" preamble to the US Constitution to suggest how to reconcile America's founding truths and the current discord and dysfunction of its embittered political system."We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully — not because we are naive about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear," he told tens of thousands of people gathered on the National Mall.

We, the people, still believe that enduring security and lasting peace do not require perpetual war,” Obama declared after he and Vice President Joseph Biden took oath of office for their second White House term, which constitutionally commenced on Sunday. "We will support democracy from Asia to Africa; from the Americas to the Middle East, because our interests and our conscience compel us to act on behalf of those who long for freedom," he said. "And we must be a source of hope to the poor, the sick, the marginalised, the victims of prejudice — not out of mere charity, but because peace in our time requires the constant advance of those principles that our common creed describes: tolerance and opportunity; human dignity and justice.

The president added: “America will remain the anchor of strong alliances in every corner of the globe; and we will renew those institutions that extend our capacity to manage crises abroad, for no one has a greater stake in a peaceful world than its most powerful nation.”Obama vowed to “defend our people and uphold our values through strength of arms and rule of law.”“We will show the courage to try and resolve our differences with other nations peacefully – not because we are naïve about the dangers we face, but because engagement can more durably lift suspicion and fear. “The president declared to meet the threat of global warming, despite scepticism on climate change among some Republicans and daunting political and economic barriers to taking meaningful action.