The Defense Secretary's comments contrasted sharply with that of his precedessor, Les Aspin, who said last year that the Russian military threat was going away and was unlikely to be reconstituted.

Mr. Clinton's comments at a White House news conference contrasted sharply with his public statements during the Presidential campaign and in the first days after he was elected.

Mr. Moskow's comment contrasted with a promise President Bush made last year to Senator Max S. Baucus, Democrat of Montana.

Although players admitted some embarrassment, their otherwise sanguine comments about the future contrasted starkly with recent results.

These unnerving comments contrasted bizarrely with the festive tone of the event.

The comments, which raised fears of another attack similar to that made on Yukos in 2004, contrasted sharply with previous efforts by President Dmitry Medvedev to improve Russia's reputation as an investor-friendly country.

The general's comments contrasted with those of some of his subordinate officers in the field.

Those comments and praise by other American officials contrasted with statements by Mexican conservationists, who have argued that the Mexican and American Governments have been slow to react.

His comments contrasted with those given by top American officials, who said the timetable was one the Iraqi government had accepted.

His comments contrasted with the optimism of President Reagan's Council of Economic Advisers, which said on Friday that America's foreign debt was modest in relation to the nation's income and wealth.