[Stultis]

I have had several Arab/Palestinian/Muslim students. One, from UAR (a very nice, civilized, bright fellow) told me that Arabs revere Hitler, not becuase of what he did to the Jews (I didn't really believe him here) but becuase he was a "strong man."

I agree with you, that facist antisemitism was and is a big attraction to Arabs, but I suspect there is also a lot of truth in what this guy was saying. The story of the modern Arab world is largely one of fervent but failed nationalism. The ability of the fascist movement in Italy to mold a modern and coherent state out of what had been, for hundreds of years, a fractious and uninified collection of principalities, and then that of the Nazis to appeal to nationalistic sentiments even across borders, was most impressive to Arabs in the 30's. Facism seemed to many just what the Middle East needed. In fact the Ba'ath Party, I believe, was consciously modeled on European facism.

[LS]

Yes, and also, I certainly don't want to give the impression that "all Muslims are alike" (except in their rabid hatred of Israel). That is obvious from Kuwait/UAR/Bahrain/Qatar supporting our war vs. Iraq and Pakistan supporting the actions in Afghanistan.

[expatpat]

Yes, the full name is the Ba'ath National Socialist Party.

[Publicus]

national socialism and derivatives therefrom.