President Bush today likened his resolve in his war on terror to that of Eisenhower on the eve of D-Day.

Speaking to trainees at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Mr Bush recalled the "eyes of the world are upon you" speech that Eisenhower gave to Allied soldiers before they stormed Normandy 60 years ago this week.

He told the air cadets that although in some ways it was unique, America's present conflict "resembles the great clashes of the last century" and he cast the fight against terrorism as a struggle between freedom and tyranny similar to the Second World War.

"Like World War II our present conflict began with a surprise attack on the US. We will not forget that treachery and we will accept nothing less than victory over the enemy."

He went on to try to reassure Muslim nations that he wanted them to embrace democratic reform "in their image," not according to US-imposed values.

"It's important for our partners to understand that I don't view it as American democracy, nor do I think it's going to happen overnight," Mr Bush said.

Before giving his speech, he told reporters: "We're talking about reform in their image - but reform at the insistence and with the help of the free world."

Mr Bush said that he hoped to build support for his so-called Greater Middle East Initiative at the June 7-10 Group of Eight summit on the Atlantic Ocean resort of Sea Island, Georgia.

Mr Bush has invited a range of Muslim nations to join G8 members the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the US States, to discuss American-led attempts to spread political and economic reforms in the Middle East.

The leaders of Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey and Yemen will attend, but Saudi Arabia and Egypt - key American allies in the Middle East - will not attend.

The rising death toll from the war in Iraq has weakened Mr Bush politically and many nations in the Muslim world, including Jordan and Turkey, have pre-emptively rejected externally imposed reforms.