Jordan's King Abdullah has warned that the Middle East could face three major wars in 2007 unless strong action is taken urgently by the international community in the region.
Mr Abdullah said the conflicts in Iraq, Palestinian territories and Lebanon could spin out of control and that "something dramatic" must come from a meeting between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki this week to stop the breakout of further violence in the region.
"I don't think we're in a position where we can come back and revisit the problem in early 2007," he said on ABC's This Week.
But the United States must also look at the "big picture" and seek comprehensive Middle Eastern solutions involving all regional players, he said - indicating this should include Syria and Iran.
"We're juggling with the strong potential of three civil wars in the region, whether it's the Palestinians, that of Lebanon or of Iraq," the Jordanian king said.
"We could possibly imagine going into 2007 and having three civil wars on our hands. And therefore, it is time that we really take a strong step forward as part of the international community and make sure we avert the Middle East from a tremendous crisis that I fear, and I see could possibly happen in 2007," Mr Abdullah said.
With Iraq near all-out civil war, the Bush administration is renewing efforts to enlist the help of moderate Arab nations.
Vice President Dick Cheney has just returned from a visit to Saudi Arabia, and Mr Bush and Mr Maliki are to meet in Amman, Jordan, on Wednesday and Thursday.