President George Bush made a top secret "thank-you" visit to amazed US troops in Baghdad last night.

Even first lady Laura Bush was not told about the trip until two hours before the President sneaked out of his Texas ranch, avoiding reporters.

The visit, timed to coincide with the Thanksgiving holiday, was the first by a US President to Iraq - a mission tense with concern about his safety.

"You are defending the American people from danger and we are grateful," Bush told 600 soldiers who were stunned and delighted by his appearance.

The President's Boeing 747 - its lights darkened and windows closed to minimise chances of making it a target - landed under a crescent moon at Baghdad International Airport.

Mr Bush flew in on Air Force One, a plane crammed with anti-missile systems, and White House officials went to extraordinary lengths to keep the trip a secret, fearing its disclosure would prompt attempts to kill him.

"If this breaks while we're in the air we're turning around," a White House aide told reporters on the flight to Iraq.

The news was only released when Mr Bush was safely on his way home.

While in Baghdad, Mr Bush spoke with soldiers from the 1st Armored Division and the 82nd Airborne Division at an airport mess hall.

"You are defeating the terrorists here in Iraq so we don't have to face them in our own country," he told them. Terrorists were testing America's resolve and "they hope we will run".

To a standing ovation, Mr Bush said: "We did not charge hundreds of miles into the heart of Iraq, pay a bitter cost of casualties, defeat a ruthless dictator and liberate 25 million people only to retreat before a band of thugs and assassins."

Bush dished out sweet potatoes and corn to troops who had arrived for their Thanksgiving dinner and posed with a roast turkey.