51.   Ongoing progress in the Middle East peace process is indeed a vital American interest.

52.   On Tuesday, Bush raised his pitch to the level presidents generally reserve for a grave crisis threatening vital American interests.

53.   Opponents said Congress should not support a potentially deadly mission that is not of vital national interest.

54.   One is never again to appease a tyrant who threatens vital interests, as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain did with Hitler in Munich.

55.   Our government does not need to abandon the truth to conduct its business or protect its vital interests.

56.   Perry added that while the situation in Haiti continues to be of concern to Washington, the country was not of vital interest to the United States.

57.   People like Gaddis and Hill who emphasize traditional power politics and vital interests both acknowledge that democracy in the third world has emerged as a major diplomatic issue.

58.   Rogue states such as Iraq, Iran and Libya still threaten their neighbors, important U.S. allies and vital American interests.

59.   So the United States must be prepared to defend our vital interests whenever and wherever they are put to the test.

60.   Some senior military officials, however, have yet to be convinced that deploying troops to Kosovo would be in the vital national interest.