While Americans may see on the nightly news the violence and bombings in Iraq, in reality those terrorists attacking civilians and military alike are "small in numbers" — tiny compared to the 12 million Iraqis who voted recently saying "we want to be free,"" said Bush.

Tough decisions are ahead, the president said. But he promised that America will stand by their Iraqi colleagues.

"We will not let this country fall into tyranny" — defending the Iraqi people absolutely.

While some argue that Iraq has fallen into civil war, Bush said that is not the case. And U.S. and Iraqi troops and police will "break the death squads" that are preying on innocent Sunnis and Shiites alike.

After his speech, Bush walked down to speak with those in the crowd. He then left to attend a special fund-raiser for Hatch. The president was scheduled to then leave the state for a round of more speeches on the war and global terrorism.

Even though we are only in the middle of the first decade of this century, Bush said the fight against radicalism, terrorism and Nazi-like totalitarianism "is the real struggle of the 21st Century."

Calling up images of previous tough battles, like Okinawa in WWII, Bush said the United States and its heroic men and women in the military will prevail, as our forefathers have before us.

Bush said he knows some Americans are frustrated with the violence and cruelty seen in Iraq and the Middle East. "But we must not allow terrorism to decide" the outcome of this century, he said.

Toward the end of his speech, Bush recognized the family of Marine Cpl. Adam Galvez — sitting in the front row — that their son's death in Iraq, the sacrifices they've made and the sacrifices of others killed in the war against terror will not be forgotten, will not be in vain. The audience stood to cheer in honoring the Galvez family, who buried their son Wednesday.

Cpl. Galvez will leave behind "a better world," said Bush, who later shook the hands of Galvez' parents, Tony and Amy Galvez of North Salt Lake.

But only if a crucial decision is now made. What will be the future, should America leave Iraq, he asked.

The Middle East could well become home to terrorists states, run by dictators armed with nuclear weapons, he said.

Bush vowed that on his watch, Iran will not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. And by staying the course in Iraq, "we will deliver a crushing defeat to terrorists," he added.

As the president worked the crowd, shaking hands, veteran Bill Balser of Ohio said he agrees there is a serious threat in the Middle East and for that the United States needs to have a presence there.

"To me it's a necessary evil," said the Korean war veteran.

But not all vets agreed with their commander-in-chief. Lawrence Bastian, Puerto Rico, who served during the Korean and Vietnam wars, said the country should have left Iraq after its former president, Saddam Hussein, was taken out of office.

But Bastian is resigned with completing the job. "We created this mess, so we've got to stay and finish it."

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E-mail: bbjr@desnews.com; sspeckman@desnews.com