Mr. Aspin rejected the request on Sept. 23 because he feared it would emphasize military operations just when Washington was trying to emphasize diplomacy and speed up a withdrawal.

They emphasize diplomacy, not military action, as the proper response to terrorism.

A better approach would emphasize ground-level diplomacy, with open wallets, among Pashtun leaders in central and southern Afghanistan, the fullest use of Pakistani intelligence and influence, and selective military actions.

In contrast, a strategy that emphasizes clever diplomacy, intelligence-gathering, and carefully selected military strikes might produce success eventually if we pursue it with patience and tenacity.

The debates, simulated using International Communication and Negotiation Simulations (ICONS), developed originally at the University of Maryland, emphasized negotiations and diplomacy.

Moreover, why is it reasoned to emphasize new weapons systems and military-backed diplomacy when Mikhail S. Gorbachev is offering serious disarmament measures and urging international cooperation in the Persian Gulf?

In the cold war, perhaps his suggestion that we "emphasize ground-level diplomacy, with open wallets" would have been relevant.

This portion of the adventure emphasizes role-playing, intrigue, and diplomacy rather than just combat.

Still, the Clinton policy of emphasizing commercial diplomacy, often playing down human rights, especially in Asian countries with fast-growing economies, has been appreciated in Indonesia and Little Rock.

Dr. ElBaradei, 63, has championed the peaceful use of nuclear energy while emphasizing quiet diplomacy in trying to dissuade countries from using the technology for military purposes.