President Bush yesterday said the US navy would end training on Vieques Island off Puerto Rico, giving up a bitter fight to continue a half-century of bombing and shelling there.
Mr Bush praised the Pentagon and navy for bowing to opposition from Puerto Rican leaders and other critics.
Officials in Washington said the exercises would be ended by May 2003, no matter what the results of a referendum on Vieques on the issue.
There have been widespread protests since a civilian security guard was killed in a botched bombing run on the island two years ago.