WASHINGTON, Nov 1: US President George Bush said on Thursday that his administration has to push the freedom agenda in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories where there is a chance to move people from helplessness to hopefulness.

Speaking at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank in Washington, Mr Bush also said that the US must keep up pressure on the terrorists “until this threat to civilisation has been removed.”

He complained that some accuse him of using the “war on terror” phrase to “frighten people into the voting booths,” adding that “those who say we are not in a war on terror are either disingenuous or naïve.

Mr Bush warned the world not to ignore the words of Osama bin Laden in the fight against global terrorism.

He said the Al Qaeda terror mastermind had made his intentions to stage another attack “as clear as Lenin and Hitler”.

Mr Bush said he also is looking forward to meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.