President Bush last night urged renewed American resolve and unity in the "war on terrorism", which he called a "struggle for civilisation."
"Winning this war will require the determined efforts of a unified country. So we must put aside our differences, and work together to meet the test that history has given us," Mr Bush said in a nationally televised address from the Oval Office last night.
"We face an enemy determined to bring death and suffering into our homes. America did not ask for this war, and every American wishes it were over. So do I. But the war is not over, and it will not be over until either we or the extremists emerge victorious," he said.
"The safety of America depends on the outcome of the battle on the streets of Baghdad," said Mr Bush, who is trying to revive public support for the unpopular Iraq war in a congressional election year.
Yesterday, Mr Bush and his wife stood at New York's Fort Pitt firehouse and bowed their heads for two moments of silence, first at 8.46am, the moment American Airlines Flight 11 flew into the north tower, and again at 9.30m, when the south tower was hit by United Flight 175.
Then they went to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, for a wreath-laying ceremony in the countryside where United Flight 93 crashed after an apparent
passengers' revolt stopped the downed the plane. Forty passengers and crew were killed.
Although billed by White House aides as a non-political speech, Mr Bush's address was heavily laden in defence of his Iraq policy.
Mr Bush also used his speech to issue a warning to the elusive bin Laden that "no matter how long it takes America will find you and we will bring you to justice".
Senator Edward Kennedy, a Massachusetts Democrat, said Mr Bush should be "ashamed" of his Oval Office address, accusing him of using the anniversary to boost support for the Iraq war.