Challenges will be met, Obama pledges

WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (UPI) -- Now is the time to begin remaking America, President Barack Obama told millions of listeners Tuesday in his inaugural address.

The challenges -- wars on two fronts and a weakened economy -- are real, serious and many, Obama said.

"They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America -- they will be met," he said to thunderous applause.

Americans, he said, "must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and begin the work of remaking America."

He pledge to "responsibly leave Iraq to its people" and work to forge a peace in Afghanistan, as well as working to lessen a global nuclear threat and a warming planet.

"We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense," he said, "and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."