21.   And this fight from within the religious hierarchy only serves to strengthen the hand of the recently elected moderate President Mohammed Khatami.

22.   As for the Democrats in Congress, their hard core of liberals and labor leaders want spending increased and will likely argue that the election results strengthened their hand.

23.   As the Internet evolves, Wetherell has strengthened his hand by building CMG in a unique, holistic way.

24.   Assad wants to buy weapons in part to strengthen his hand if peace talks with Israel resume.

25.   A package of measures aimed at strengthening the hand of police investigators has won widespread support, and Parliament is expected to approve it soon.

26.   A new tactic adopted by the central banks has also strengthened their hand.

27.   A Western diplomat said that it appeared that the Bosnian government wanted to take land in northwestern Bosnia to strengthen its hand at the peace table.

28.   But a better military position and popular support has helped strengthen the hand of the Taliban leadership, he said.

29.   But Arafat quickly forgot that point and started acting as if a crime committed by an Israeli against Palestinians somehow strengthened his hand in the Hebron bargaining.

30.   But Lawrence Ausubel, an economist at the University of Maryland, said he saw no reason to strengthen the hand of credit card lenders in bankruptcy proceedings.