The Pentagon later concluded that the outside review harmed American national security by advancing China's rocket and missile capabilities.

During that conflict, Special Operations troops had to wait for the C.I.A. to pay informants and could not always count on timely support, the Pentagon concluded.

Administration officials today sought to play down the episode, saying the Pentagon concluded that the loss of the encoded chips would pose only "minimal impact" to national security.

The Pentagon eventually concluded that Commander Speicher had probably ejected from his plane and may have survived the crash.

But the Pentagon has apparently concluded that winter is a greater threat and ordered the first major bombing of the Taliban's northern front.

The Pentagon has concluded that the Marines' V-22 Osprey is ready to return to flight testing next month.

The document included many factual inconsistencies, and the Pentagon concluded last month that it exaggerated the number of P.O.W.'s.

Whatever the Pentagon ultimately concludes, neither veterans nor the public will believe that it has taken an objective look.

Defense Department officials countered by saying the F.D.A. had provided guidance that allowed the Pentagon to conclude that the vaccine was effective against inhaled anthrax.

It is the first time the Pentagon has reviewed each case and concluded that, for a specific number, it was hopeless to continue trying to recover the bodies.