And the biggest slap in the face, the most consequential clout, remains the unsuccessful attempt by the American-Zionist axis to break the defensive lines of the Hezbullah militia in southern Lebanon. After 33 days of atrocious war during which they pursued a scorched-earth policy that concentrated on bombing Lebanon's urban centers and infrastructure, the Israelis were forced to accept the bitter fact that this time they'd bitten into a bone that ended up breaking their teeth.

The defeat of Tsahal [the Israeli armed forces], despite American logistical support, is rightly considered by experts to be a crucial, strategic turning point in more than one respect for the Middle East. It has enabled and will continue to enable Arab-Muslims everywhere to lift their heads high and take new confidence in their future.

There's more! Muslims in general, increasingly savvy with regard to high technology, are now keen to take their revenge on all those who have so outrageously sought to humiliate them in the past.

Besides, healthy reactions like this were to be expected after the scandal sparked by the Danish newspaper daring to publish the profane drawings caricaturing the Prophet Mohammed, a sacrilege that provoked a worldwide outcry among Muslims. Since then, their revolt has only intensified, despite the subordination of their leaders to the unpredictable cowboy from Texas.

It's hardly surprising that the new Pope, Benedict XVI, should in his own way commit a second such offense, considering his conservative background and, what's more, his apparently having served in the Hitler Youth. We should have expected such reactionary behavior on his part. However, the connivance of His Holiness with the conservative American right, in attempting to lambast Islam following in the footsteps of Jean Paul II - even by occupying Muslim countries and clipping Islam's wings so as to limit its expansion or even make it subordinate to Christianity - denotes the existence and execution of a Machiavellian, anti-Muslim plan, the modern version of yet another crusade.

[Editor's Note: During a speech in Germany on faith and reason on Sept. 10, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a 14th century Byzantine emperor, and said in part, "Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached].

To our knowledge - and this has never before been divulged - Pope Benedict XVI was only named to this high office to stifle Islam, a "fascist" force according to the madman Bush. In addition, this German is looking to distinguish himself and go down in history by doing just as much if not more than the Pope John Paul II, who, thanks to Solidarity during the time of his collaborator Lech Walesa, managed to bring down the Berlin Wall and communism along with it. This was soon followed by the breakup of the Soviet Union. Since then, this unexpected victory on the part of the West made the United States the sole hyperpower and the universe's only policeman. This imbalance of power, in the absence of any effective counterweight to the United States, has become quite worrying. This state of affairs has worked against, among others, the small Third-World countries, in particular those of the Arab world. Neutral countries have not since been able to benefit from the geopolitical situation, by playing upon secular rivalries between East and West.

As, for some ten years, after the disintegration of the once-formidable Red Army, the Pentagon found itself without a suitable rival or enemy to pit itself against, a replacement had to be found. The two choices were China and the Arab-Muslim world. The Middle Kingdom, however, has displayed an ever-growing appetite for the "delights" of Uncle Sam-style consumerism - therefore representing an especially profitable potential market coveted by American multinationals. And as the heirs of Mao have both a large, organized army and, above all, a nuclear arsenal, the alliance, made up of implacable, evangelical hawks, the leading lights of the Zionist movement and the Roman Catholic Church has unhesitatingly - indeed, enthusiastically - set its sights on Islam and the Muslims, whose societies are still convalescing despite their immense oil wealth.

There exists a Washington-Vatican-Tel-Aviv axis, to which must now be added, due to blind conformity, the Paris of moron Sarkozy, a favorite candidate for the presidency. Together, they will continue to do everything in their power to fight us. Besides, we're beginning to reap the consequences of the clash of civilizations, although this is only the beginning. The worse is yet to come, however, if the Western establishment unwisely refuses to adopt a less-ardent outlook and behave less aggressively toward us. For the state of affairs has been completely transformed by the legendary bravery of the Muslims. The bearded men of the Maginot Line in France during the First World War and later, in 1944, those of Cassino, Italy - who spilled blood twice to save European liberty - have left a great many descendants, who are just as brave and who, most importantly, have no fear of death.

Hundreds of thousands of young Muslims from all over the world continue to compete to be the first to die as martyrs for the Holy Cause and in defense of Islam.

And that's the difference between a Muslim and a non-Muslim.

The campaigners against Islam that deny altogether that such an agreement exists and attribute it merely to chance, are either mistaken or deluded. And those looking for reasons for the deal don't need to look far, because the causes are so obvious that those who deny such an agreement exists can't hide them. The agreement between the political pole in Washington and the religious pole in the Vatican seems comprehensive and complete. The Pope's talk concerning Islam and the Prophet of Islam was neither a slip of the tongue nor a result of a lack of understanding of Islam. Nor were his comments made without knowing the wave of anger and denunciation that would sweep across the Muslim world.

The dissonance between [Western] rulers and those that they rule has made politicians and religious men careless when it comes to discussing Islam. With an Islamic world drowning in conflict, comments are made without fear or concern. And this conflict in the Muslim world makes it appear to those that are hostile to Islam that such blows and slaps will not unite Muslims, but rather cause them to fragment further.

Clearly, the Pope's belittling of the Islamic world was a frank and open expression if his views and it shows the consequences of the gulf between Muslim rulers and their own people.

Those who accuse the Pope of ignorance about Islam forget that he doesn't lack an understanding of those who represent a third of the world's population. Rather, he is assured that Muslim weakness is so deep that all they can do is respond with denunciation and demonstrations, with the breaking of street lamps and the windows of cars.

The comments of the Pope are almost identical to those of George Bush's, in regard to his Crusader war and the supposed fascism of Islam. While the phraseology is different, the goal and the purpose remains the same. The new extremists who govern the United States and influence policies around the world have accredited partners in the Vatican, which has transformed from an abode of spiritual care into an institution that interferes with global affairs without hesitation.

There is no doubt that the present Pope has been chosen for the purposes of implementing an irreligious and non-spiritual plan. From the moment of his installation, he has issued alarming messages that were noticed by some, but neglected by others. If the previous Pope succeeded to a degree in developing Islamic-Christian relations, his successor has destroyed what that wise pontiff had realized.

This is confirmed by the fact that the present Pope's comments about Islam and the Prophet of Islam where part of a well-prepared lecture. It was an unscripted address that wouldn't contain mistakes or be dominated by enthusiasm.

This behavior should prompt Muslims to agree on a plan to unify their stands and restore to them their lost prestige. By becoming a more integrated force, the adversaries of Islam and those that represent their religion will take notice.

Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Maqaleh is prominent Yemenite poet and intellectual. He is the director of the Yemeni Studies Center.