President George W Bush has told a ceremony to mark 11 September at the Pentagon that the US would win its war on terrorism, and that victims of the attacks did not die in vain.

"The murder of innocents cannot be explained, only endured. And though they died in tragedy, they did not die in vain," Mr Bush said.

The enemies who struck us are determined and they are resourceful. They will not be stopped by a sense of decency or a hint of conscience. But they will be stopped

George W Bush

Behind him stood a clean, rebuilt wall where, one year ago, a hijacked jetliner slammed into America's military headquarters and killed 184 people.

Saying the attackers wanted to strike at a symbol of US might, Mr Bush declared: "Today we remember each life. We rededicate this proud symbol and we renew our commitment to win the war that began here."

'Great struggle'

Speaking to a crowd of dignitaries, military officials, Pentagon staff and relatives of those who died, Mr Bush said: "There is a great deal left to do."

He said the 11 September attacks "set in motion the first great struggle of a new century" - a struggle he said the US would win.

"The enemies who struck us are determined and they are resourceful. They will not be stopped by a sense of decency or a hint of conscience. But they will be stopped."

Some 184 people were killed at the Pentagon

Mr Bush also said the attacks had not weakened the United States.

"The terrorists chose this target hoping to demoralise our country. They failed," Mr Bush said.

BBC News Online world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds says that Mr Bush is concentrating on two issues in his remarks on 11 September: the memory of those who died and a recommitment to fighting the "war on terror".

At the Pentagon, both he and his Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, said that the war would be won.

But our correspondent says that Mr Bush was not referring to Iraq directly - keeping his powder dry for his speech at the UN General Assembly on Thursday.

In that speech, he is expected to lay the problem of Iraq before the international community with the warning that if it takes no action, then the United States will.