ASHINGTON, Sept. 20 — President Bush demanded tonight that Afghanistan's leaders immediately deliver Osama bin Laden and his network and close down every terrorist camp in the country or face military attack by the United States.

"These demands are not open to negotiation or discussion," the president said in an address to a joint meeting of Congress. "The Taliban must act and act immediately. They will hand over the terrorists, or they will share in their fate."

The president outlined a broad framework for the campaign against terrorism, reaching far beyond Afghanistan and Mr. bin Laden's organization, Al Qaeda. He made it clear that American ground troops would be involved, and that a military strike could come soon. "Be ready," he said to the military.

"From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime," Mr. Bush said in a blunt warning that could encompass countries that the United States has previously identified as giving safe haven to terrorists, among them Iraq, Iran and Syria. The demands included an insistence that Americans be able to inspect every terrorist training camp in Afghanistan to ensure that they have been dismantled.

The president declared that every nation must choose sides in the coming conflict against a terrorist network that he said involved thousands of people in more than 60 countries.

He warned the nation to expect a long campaign that will be fought with the visible weapons of war and secret operations.

The president created a new cabinet- level post and appointed Gov. Tom Ridge of Pennsylvania to lead the Office of Homeland Security, which will coordinate the effort of more than 40 federal agencies, including the C.I.A. and the Department of Defense, in an attempt to prevent terrorist attacks.

Mr. Bush, his demeanor solemn and his language purposeful, compared those who carried out the attacks Sept. 11 on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon to the Nazis.

"They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century," he said. "By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions, by abandoning every value except the will to power, they follow in the path of Fascism, Nazism and totalitarianism. And they will follow that path all the way to where it ends: in history's unmarked grave of discarded lies."

The president implored the nation for its support and patience in what he described as a coming global struggle and made it clear that Americans should be prepared for casualties.

"Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have seen," Mr. Bush told Congress and a national television audience. "It may include dramatic strikes, visible on television, and covert operations, secret even in success."

The war, he added, would not be like the swift battle against Iraq a decade ago. Nor would it be like the air war waged by NATO over Kosovo in 1999 without a single American combat death.

The speech, which was interrupted 31 times by applause and cheering, was the president's most extensive address to Americans since four hijacked jetliners on suicide missions crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a quiet field in southwestern Pennsylvania, killing more than 6,000 people.

"Americans have known surprise attacks, but never before on thousands of civilians," Mr. Bush said. "All of this was brought upon us in a single day, and night fell on a different world."

Mr. Bush spoke to a House chamber that included members of Congress, the cabinet, the Supreme Court and the uniformed military chiefs. In the gallery with Laura Bush, the first lady, sat the heroes and symbols of New York's devastation and rescue, as well as religious leaders and allies of America.

On either side of Mrs. Bush sat Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani of New York and Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain. Gov. George E. Pataki of New York sat to Mr. Giuliani's left.

Also in the gallery were William Fischer, a 16-year veteran of the New York Police Department's emergency service unit, and Battalion Chief John A. Jonas of the New York City Fire Department, whose unit was among the first to respond to the attack.

Mr. Bush spoke as an American military buildup continued in the Middle East and Southwest Asia, moving warplanes in striking distance of Afghanistan.

Mr. Bush emphasized that his fight against terrorism would not simply be an air campaign. "We will direct every resource at our command, every means of diplomacy, every tool of intelligence, every instrument of law enforcement, every financial influence and every necessary weapon of war to the disruption and defeat of the global terror network," he said.

He did not give any indication of when the war would start, and did not further define for a worried American public what form it might take. He did not say whether a "long campaign" meant one year or 10.

"We will rally the world to this cause, by our efforts and by our courage," the president said. "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail."

In calling Americans to arms, Mr. Bush said that no one should forget fundamental American values. "I ask you to uphold the values of America, and remember why so many have come here," he said. "We are in a fight for our principles, and our first responsibility is to live by them. No one should be singled out for unfair treatment or unkind words because of their ethnic background or religious faith."

Congressional Democrats chose not to deliver a response, as they usually do after a State of the Union address. Instead, Senators Tom Daschle, the majority leader, and Trent Lott, the minority leader, followed the president with joint remarks pledging their full support.

At the beginning of his speech, the president introduced Lisa Beamer, the wife of Todd Beamer, a 32-year- old New Jersey man who was among the passengers on the flight that crashed in Pennsylvania after the passengers apparently fought with the hijackers. At the end, he said he would always carry with him the police badge of George Howard, a Port Authority policeman who died at the World Trade Center. It was given to him by Officer Howard's mother when Mr. Bush visited the scene last Friday.

Mr. Bush went to some length to sympathize with the people of Afghanistan, saying the Taliban leadership there has "brutalized" the population.

He said that "you can be jailed for owning a television" in Afghanistan. He noted that the United States was the largest source of relief aid to Afghanistan, but said clearly, and to applause, "We condemn the Taliban regime."

He said of the terrorist groups, `Americans are asking: Why do they hate us?" and he was blunt in providing an answer: "They hate what we see right here in this chamber, a democratically elected government. Their leaders are self-appointed. They hate our freedoms, our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other."

The president said such groups wanted to overthrow existing governments in Muslim countries, like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

He posed a stark choice to other nations. "Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make," he said. "Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists."

Mr. Bush said Washington would ask its allies from Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Islamic world for help, including help from their police and intelligence services and international banking systems.

Without saying when he would begin the strikes — Washington's most closely kept military secret, and perhaps a decision not yet made — he declared, "The hour is coming when America will act," and told the military, "You will make us proud."

To Americans at home, Mr. Bush's appeal was simple and concrete: Continue their way of life. "I ask you to live your lives and hug your children," he said. "I know many Americans have fears tonight, and I ask you to be calm and resolute, even in the face of a continuing threat."

He asked for prayer — for the victims, for the military, for the country.

Despite the devastating attacks and loss of life, Mr. Bush said the future should not be one of fear.

"Some speak of an age of terror," he said. "I know there are struggles ahead and dangers to face, but this country will define our times, not be defined by them. As long as the United States of America is determined and strong, this will not be an age of terror; this will be an age of liberty, here and across the world."

"Great harm has been done to us," he added. "We have suffered great loss, and in our grief and anger, we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom, the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time, now depends on us. Our nation, this generation will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future."

The speech was delivered in an atmosphere of extraordinary security. Vice President Dick Cheney, who normally would have sat directly behind the president, was kept out of the Capitol building entirely, a precaution taken to leave the country with a leader should there have been an attack on the assembled high command of the United States.

Ari Fleischer, the White House press secretary, would say only that Mr. Cheney was at "a different location."

Mr. Bush said tonight that the target of American wrath was not any faith or nation.

"The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends, it is not our many Arab friends," Mr. Bush said. "Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them."

Seeking to close on a reassuring note, Mr. Bush said he hoped that in months and years ahead, "life will return almost to normal." He noted that "even grief recedes with time and grace."