1.   And, as in similar gun control battles in the United States, the issue has pitted rural lawmakers against urban representatives.

2.   Advocates for paid leave say the issue pits family values and states rights against narrow business interests.

3.   But instead, the issue has pitted one government against another and U.S. unions against trucking associations on both sides of the border.

4.   In fact, environmental issues often pit moderates against conservatives, Northeast against South and West in the Republican Party.

5.   In Tennessee, the issue has pitted the American Civil Liberties Union and the teachers union against Christian conservatives.

6.   Still, the issues pit so many entrenched industry groups against each other that scores of disputes could derail a bill even amid consensus about the broader issues.

7.   The issue has often pitted the rights of mothers against those of newborns.

8.   The issue has pitted lobbies of real political power and deep cultural resonance against each other.

9.   The issue pits business groups and self-described cyberlibertarians against federal law enforcement and security agencies, which fear their ability to conduct surveillance will be greatly curtailed.

10.   The issue pits the European Union against the Bush administration and centers on the American International Group, the New York insurance and financial services company.