That was President Bush's principal rationale for pardoning six men involved in the Iran-contra affair.

The bomber would then be deprived of a principal rationale.

The principal rationale you put forth for new development assistance initiatives is promoting America's own economic well-being and political security.

The principal rationales for the invasion-the assertions that led many reluctant liberals to sanction it-turned out to be false.

Most importantly, the failure to find unconventional weapons in Iraq has undermined the principal rationale Mr. Blair put forward to justify the war.

The principal rationale appeared to be a desire by some administrators to promote a well-publicized affirmation of "Western values."

And finally, there is no certainty he could even carry the electoral powerhouse that is California, which has always been the principal rationale for any national candidacy.

The need to demonstrate credibility, in other words, has become the principal rationale for costly and controversial programs.

The principal rationales behind a currency board are threefold:

Some of those reports seriously undermined Ms. Reno's principal legal rationale for resisting an independent prosecutor.