Fascists Again

Just as the 20th century was English Empire ( including the quondam part: the USA) versus Fascist versus Communist, the 21st century will be English Empire versus Islamo-Fascists versus Christiano-Wiseguys. I was talking to a friend who asked me where the word "fascist" came from. Well, it came from the fasces which were a bunch of birch (?) rods wrapped around an axe which used to be carried before the Roman consuls (I think) as a symbol of their power. I believe Mr. Mussolini picked it up in the 1920's. A reader kindly commented that Franco and Salazar were not fascists. Maybe they were Phalangists. And no more about this where do words come from. Phalangist - deal with it. Well, General Franco ( for whom I have only the fondest vague feelings ) was assisted a great deal by fascists. Hitler provided the air power for the bombing of Guernica. At this point, I believe that I have definitively shown you that the term "Islamo-fascist" or any expression of the form "_______o-fascist" is a meaningless expression.