31.   Congressional leaders closed ranks behind President Bush on Sunday as the first volley of U.S. and British bombs and missiles hit targets in Afghanistan.

32.   Democrats closed ranks around the president while key Republican leaders were either silent or indicated they will go along with the plan.

33.   Despite vast political differences and personal squabbles, members always have found a way to close ranks around water issues.

34.   Did they not force the Serbs to close ranks?

35.   Elites close ranks to resist outsiders, they told us.

36.   Even before the SJC ruling, however, divided Democrats in the South Shore-Cape Cod district began to close ranks.

37.   Even so, administration officials and analysts expect the Republicans to close ranks around a compromise plan at least by the end of next week.

38.   Fortunately for Ortega, the delegates closed ranks, expelling from party posts those who publicly defended Narvaez.

39.   Germany and France closed ranks to protect their plan for a common European currency, rejecting calls to relax the membership rules or delay the project.

40.   Given long memories of victimization by all comers, who have ranged from Turks to Nazis, many Serbs instinctively close ranks.