1.   Military officials said the operation presaged at least a week of punishing airstrikes against Taliban posts, and that some missions might be carried out in daylight.

2.   The U.S. military created the conditions for the sudden and dramatic fall of Kabul to the Northern Alliance, with American advisers calling in punishing airstrikes against Taliban forces.

3.   They have helped organize Afghan fighters and aided their advance by calling in punishing airstrikes.

4.   Perhaps the punishing NATO airstrikes were the last straw.

5.   Pentagon officials confirmed that U.S. special forces troops were on the ground directing punishing airstrikes against Taliban defense lines.

6.   After four nights of punishing airstrikes, Iraq is struggling to repair the damage.

7.   As diplomats talked peace today, NATO warplanes delivered more punishing airstrikes against Bosnian Serbs, who struck back by firing an anti-aircraft missile at a NATO jet.

8.   Bosnian Serbs recently withdrew most of their siege guns in exchange for a halt to punishing NATO airstrikes, but utilities and civilian access routes remain cut off.

9.   It was the third day of punishing airstrikes on the capital, Grozny.

10.   NATO warplanes aimed more punishing airstrikes against the Bosnian Serbs on Friday even as diplomats at the negotiating table granted them broad autonomy in an emerging peace deal.