By ABDUL JALIL MUSTAFA

Amman, November 24, 2006 – A contention by a top US commander in the Middle East that a new global war could loom if Islamic militancy was not stemmed, is indicative of the ''deep crisis'' US neo-conservatives are facing in the region, Arab politicians and strategists say. They said they were surprised by General John Abizaid's remarks at a time when the American people had voted in the mid-term congressional elections ''to reject the crazy Middle East policy'' pursued by the US administration.

''I believe Abizaid's comments do reflect the deep crisis the neo-conservatives are facing in the region as a result of their crazy policy,'' said Mohammad Abu Hudaib, chairman of the foreign affairs committee at the Jordanian lower house of parliament. ''I think such remarks will only enhance extremism and hatred for the Americans in the region,'' he added.

In a lecture entitled ''The Long War'' at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Gen Abizaid last Friday compared the rise of militant Islamic ideologies to the rise of fascism in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s that set the stage for World War II. ''If we don't have guts enough to confront this ideology today, we'll go through World War III,'' he said.

If not stopped, extremists would be allowed to ''gain an advantage, to gain a safe haven, to develop weapons of mass destruction, to develop a national place from which to operate. And I think that the dangers associated with that are just too great to comprehend,'' argued Gen Abizaid, who is or Arab origin.

The general's comments prompted angry reactions throughout the Middle East and the Islamic world. Editorialists said his statement was reminiscent of President Bush's threats against ''Islamic fascists'' earlier this year. ''The foolish policies which have been pursued by the Bush administration over the past few years have distanced the world from safety and stability and pushed the region onto the verge of a disaster,'' said Mr. Abu Hudaib, a pro-government lawmaker, in reference to the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.

''I believe it is now the duty of wise men in Europe and the Arab world to seize the perplexity of the US administration to launch initiatives that salvage the world out of this dilemma,'' he said.

Islamists also criticized the US administration for what they termed ''fresh evidence of the grudge it harbors towards Islam and Muslims''.

''Abizaid is one of the symbols of this administration which is aligned with the extremist Christian right and Zionism and views Islam from the angle of the culture of hatred,'' said Hamzeh Mansour, chairman of the Consultative Council of the Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party. ''We believe that the real danger emanates from the US-led project that plays havoc with the region through policies of domination and riding roughshod on the country's peoples.'' Mr. Mansour and Mr. Abu Hudaib said Gen Abizaid's comments were designed to put pressure on the Democratic Party, which won a majority in both houses of Congress in the mid-term elections earlier this month, to give up its drive for an early withdrawal from Iraq. Mohammad Abdussalam from the Military Department of the Cairo- based al-Ahram Strategic Studies Centre said Gen Abizaid's remarks reflected ''escalation plans against political Islam''.

''Anti-Americanism has reached new dimensions with Islamists gaining strong foot-holds through ballots in Egypt and Palestine and through other means in Somalia and other countries,'' Mr. Abdussalam said.

''Abizaid, who commands a region extending over 24 countries from Morocco to Afghanistan, has mounting concerns over the growing power of political Islam,'' he said. ''The man wants to say that we have not changed and that the American military are anticipating operations the dimensions of which cannot be imagined.

''His remarks also send a new message to the countries of the Middle East that you should be with us or against us. This means that Arab countries will find themselves again in an impasse,'' he added.

Source: Bangkok Post