House leaders today stepped up the delicate political offensive around the package as an atmosphere of nervousness descended on the chamber.

What those events suggest is that 1994 was the last political offensive in a war that was already essentially lost.

However, during the "political offensive" of that year, Model 147NCs were used to drop propaganda leaflets.

With just four months remaining until the November general election, both parties launched massive political offensives with the Bank at the center of the fight.

Today's House votes followed a spirited debate in which Democrats took the political offensive on an economic issue for the first time in years.

Although the Government's political offensive has had some success, judging by the crowds at its rallies last week, the overall effort seems to be mired in popular skepticism.

It was a political offensive against the West, a declaration of the "international civil war," not the start of an invasion of the West.

"There needs to be a political offensive in the south," said a Western diplomat, who warned that the Taliban were trying to destabilize the southeast.

For the federation, this year's political offensive has many overlapping agendas.

Although the Government's political offensive has had some scattered successes, including the tribal elders' appearance, the overall effort seems to be mired in popular skepticism.