RIGA, Latvia (CNN) -- President Bush gave a freedom pep talk Tuesday at the University of Latvia, once again vowing he won't support the removal of U.S. troops from Iraq "before the mission is complete."

Bush, who faces heightened political pressure because of rising Shiite-Sunni violence in Iraq, is in Riga for a summit with other NATO leaders, and many of his comments addressed the strengthening of democracy in eastern Europe, including the former Soviet republic of Latvia.

"The most basic responsibility of this alliance is to defend our people against the threats of a new century," he said. "We're in a long struggle against terrorists and extremists who follow a hateful ideology and seek to establish a totalitarian empire from Spain to Indonesia.

"We fight against the extremists who desire safe havens, and are willing to kill innocents anywhere to achieve their objectives."

Full story