President Bush, on an aircraft carrier homebound from the Persian Gulf, told his people Thursday that major combat operations in Iraq had ended. "In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed," Bush said. "The battle of Iraq is one victory in a war on terror that began on Sept. 11, 2001, and still goes on," he said. "We are helping to rebuild Iraq, where the dictator built palaces for himself instead of hospitals and schools for the people. The transition from dictatorship to democracy will take time, but it is worth every effort... Our coalition will stay until our work is done," he said without specifying the timeline. Bush sought to give his people a closure to the fighting while avoiding a sweeping claim of overall victory. He said much still needed to be done, including bringing order to the country, finding weapons of mass destruction, creating a democratic government and pursuing leaders of the fallen regime, including Saddam. Bush stopped short of declaring victory or an end to the war. Such declarations could trigger international laws requiring the speedy release of prisoners of war, limiting efforts to go after deposed Iraqi leaders and designating the United States as an occupying power. Bush's speech marked the end of combat in Iraq and a refocusing on the ailing economy at home. The speech comes as Bush's advisers seek to convert his wartime popularity into political gain in the run-up to the 2004 presidential elections. Bush flew to the carrier on a Navy jet and made a screeching stop as his plane was snagged by a cable stretched across the deck. It was an apparent presidential first; traditionally they use helicopters to visit aircraft carriers. The USS Abraham Lincoln, returning from the Persian Gulf, was about 30 miles from San Diego when Bush landed. A former pilot, he got a turn at the controls, flying about a third of the way. Bush emerged in a green flight suit, carrying his helmet, and shouted to reporters, "Yes, I flew it!" He said he had only steered the plane "straight ahead" and wasn't tempted to try to land it. It was a made-for-television day sure to be replayed during Bush's re-election campaign. With a wide grin, the president lingered on the deck with crew members, shaking hands and posing for pictures. "Good job," he shouted to sailors. The ship was slowed so Bush could spend the night on board before it docked on Friday, officials said. He watched dozens of fighters roar off the ship one last time on the way to home bases. "The war on terror is not over, yet it is not endless," Bush said." We do not know the day of final victory, but we have seen the turning of the tide. No act of the terrorists will change our purpose, or weaken our resolve, or alter their fate. Their cause is lost. Free nations will press on to victory." With the shores of California in sight, Bush said dangerous work also remains in Afghanistan. Hours earlier, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said major combat had ended in that country, where US troops had routed the Taliban months ago. "In the battle of Afghanistan, we destroyed the Taliban, many terrorists, and the camps where they trained," he said. "We continue to help the Afghan people lay roads, restore hospitals and educate all of their children. Yet we also have dangerous work to complete." "And as I speak, a special operations task force, led by the 82nd Airborne, is on the trail of terrorists, and those who seek to undermine the free government of Afghanistan. America and our coalition will finish what we began," he said. Bush was spending the night in the quarters that the ship's captain usually uses when the carrier is in port. Overnight, the carrier was heading close enough to its San Diego destination that Bush could helicopter back to land on Friday morning. PHOTO CAPTION George W. Bushwalks the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln after landing there aboard an S-3B Viking, as the carrier steamed toward San Diego, California, May 1, 2003. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)