1.  A senior American defense official said that the Russians would operate within the American sector, as is the case in Bosnia.

2.  A senior British defense official also said that the allies were racing against time.

3.  A senior defense official cautioned that the Navy investigation, which began the day after the attack, could show that the Cole was following proper high alert procedures.

4.  A senior defense official insisted that the United States had no intention of setting a precedent.

5.  A senior defense official said in Washington that a decision could come in the next few days.

6.  A senior defense official said the Russians had tried to condition their support of new inspections on an end to the strikes.

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

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

9.  Despite that, some senior defense officials and their supporters in Congress have said the increase is too small.

10.  However, Sergeyev did not suggest cooperation in any of those areas would be diminished by a U.S. military strike, according to the senior defense official.