11.   He made his resignation letter public in an effort to force the United States and the United Nations to return to a tougher stance on Iraq.

12.   In May and June, while industry negotiators were seeking agreements with states and smokers suing cigarette makers, B.A.T was arguing for a tougher stance.

13.   In the past year or so, he said, city lawyers have adopted a much tougher negotiating stance in misconduct cases and are offering much smaller settlements.

14.   It carves out a tougher stance and an expanded role for bank regulators in curbing abusive credit practices.

15.   Now, with the recent transgressions creating a public-relations nightmare, Tagliabue seems to be taking a tougher stance.

16.   One sign of the tougher stance at the White House is that veto threats are being issued even as legislation is still being drafted.

17.   Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., takes a tougher stance than does Jendrzejczyk.

18.   Russia is not alone in facing this tougher stance from President Bush.

19.   Since the visit, analysts say, President Jiang Zemin has come under pressure from the Chinese military to take a tougher stance on Taiwan.

20.   Since then, party members have clamored for the president to take a tougher stance toward Beijing.