"Throughout the war on terror we have fought the enemy on every single battle front," said Bush, ticking off campaigns U.S. and coalition forces conducted in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"And so long as terrorist danger remains, the United States of America will continue to fight the enemy wherever it makes its stand," Bush said during a speech at the Pentagon. "We will stay on the offense."

Defeating terrorists "requires an alternative to their murderous ideology," he said through military means and "our strong belief in the transformative power of liberty."

A free Iraq sets an example of how liberty can transform societies and instill hope, he said.

"By spreading the hope of liberty in the Middle East, we will help free societies take root," Bush said, "and when they do, freedom will yield the peace we all desire."