Mideast situation increasing possible danger for Americans

WASHINGTON -- President Bush's pressure on Israel to halt its military offensive in the West Bank may not calm growing Arab anger. Already, there are signs the hostility is leading to possible danger for Americans, and less cooperation in the war against terrorism.

After a two-week lull, guerrillas again are attacking Israel from another front, Lebanon. In Egypt, long allied with the United States, young people have tried to sneak into Israel to join the fight and there are worries they could turn their wrath on Americans.

U.S. officials say privately that Yemen is stalling plans to deploy U.S. military counterterror trainers because of the situation in the Mideast. In addition, Arab nations' cooperation in any U.S. plan to attack Iraqi President Saddam Hussein seems stalled.

"What Arab countries were telling us nine month ago was, 'We won't support you unless you tell us you'll finish the job"' and overthrow Saddam, said Antony Blinken, a former National Security Council official. "Now they're saying, 'We won't help you at all.'"