NEW YORK, Aug 3: Warning that Iraq will become another Vietnam for the United States, Libyan President Muammar Qadhafi openly criticized Al Qaeda, branding the terror network as cancer that cannot be stopped in the early stages and observed that fighting will drag on in Iraq.

“Unfortunately, (Osama) bin Laden has become a symbol for defending the Islamic world. This is a fact. We made him such a man or such a thing America made bin Laden a saint,” Mr Qadhafi told ABC news programme on Sunday.

In the interview he stressed that Libya was cooperating with the United States to fight terrorism and the ‘common enemy’ of Al Qaeda. But he criticized America’s foreign policy as colonialist and controlled by Jewish groups.

“As long as America (is) approaching (the war on terror) in such a method ... together with the Israelis ... the more they do that, the more they create an environment or atmosphere for the development of Al Qaeda,” he said.

When asked if US continues on the course it’s on now in Iraq, what do you think will happen, President Qadhafi said: “Fighting will continue. It will be like Vietnam.”

The Libyan leader said it does not matter whether US captured Saddam Hussein or not, saying: “It is not a matter of Saddam Hussein. People would fight for their own independence not for the sake of Saddam Hussein.”

On the question about how America made Osama into a “saint”, Qadhafi was of opinion that “America is not doing that intentionally or on purpose. America actually is fighting him but fighting Osama led us to this reality. I saw in the southern part of Africa, the south of Africa pictures of Osama everywhere and, you know, even kids wearing his picture on their shirts.”

Mr Qadhafi said his country was exchanging information with Americans and arrested some suspects who entered Libya after Afghanistan war.

He said Libya opposed all extremist and radical Islamic movements and invited Western countries to talk to his World Islamic Leadership, which he said he formed to demonstrate “the civilized aspect of Islam.”