1.   The allies have launched several strikes.

2.   As U.S. and NATO warplanes launched strikes this week on Serbia, Russia ruled out using force to assist its Slavic ally.

3.   At Hong Kong International Airport, security forces stepped up patrols of flights departing for the United States and Britain after Washington launched strikes against Afghanistan.

4.   ATLANTA - SunTrust Banks launched another strike Monday afternoon in the war for Wachovia, escalating the already bitter battle with First Union.

5.   A huge country stretching across Central Asia, Kazakhstan neighbors some of the countries that may be caught up in events if Washington launches military strikes in Afghanistan.

6.   After the previous Hezbollah attacks, Israel also launched retaliatory strikes north of the occupied zone, but had confined its fire to targets outside populated areas.

7.   All the countries still oppose military strikes and most will not allow the United States to use their countries in launching the strikes.

8.   But critics of the strike say that President Clinton launched strikes merely to punish Iraq or deflect attention from impeachment hearings.

9.   But it is also a Muslim country, where anti-American sentiment has simmered since the United States launched military strikes against Afghanistan.

10.   But the administration may find it difficult to launch military strikes that hit solely at bin Laden and his network.