31.   But Perry and other defense officials who spoke before a skeptical Senate Armed Services Committee acknowledged that there is a high risk of American casualties.

32.   But other defense officials have contended that the United States would be handing Hussein a major propaganda victory if it curtailed the no-flight zones now.

33.   But senior defense officials, and even President Bush, have repeatedly said no single event will mark the end of the hostilities.

34.   But Rumsfeld is expected to stop short of that recommendation on Tuesday, defense officials said.

35.   But senior defense officials said it was impossible to rule that out until the investigation was completed.

36.   But the Pentagon study into alternatives is intended to provide him a range of options should he decide to scale the program back, defense officials said.

37.   By late December, Israeli defense officials were admitting to such attacks and saying that they had had a chilling effect on Palestinian violence.

38.   Chibana condemned the illegal occupancy of his land, and demanded an explanation from defense officials who formed a phalanx on the opposite side of the fence.

39.   Czech defense officials plan to upgrade their fleet of MIG fighters with new electronics and weapons.

40.   Defense officials confirmed that a Predator pilotless aircraft fired a Hellfire missile into one of the targets.