Word: balk
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Richard Holbrooke has become Washington's favorite last-ditch diplomat. The newly nominated ambassador to the U.N. doesn't balk at hopeless missions, but he doesn't always succeed either. Three years ago, he waded into the intractable war in Bosnia and crafted a cease-fire that has lasted to this day. In 1997, as President Clinton's special envoy, he stepped into the 24-year-old struggle between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus and has so far achieved no major breakthrough. Last week he gamely turned his hand to the Yugoslav province of Kosovo, the site of a festering...
...Hindu Nationalist BJP party "would behave as we behave" -- and that they wouldn't live up to their campaign promises, specifically the one about adding nukes to the country's arsenal. As retired admiral David Jeremiah looks set to report to Congress, the spooks thought the Indians would balk at the cost, like a U.S. politician. That's why they didn't spend enough money or time watching the subcontinent, says Jeremiah...
Some readers will balk at these suggestions. They will tell us that the author has long since dropped dead, that no amount of careful study of words will get us any closer to the author's original meaning and that we might as well cut our losses and learn about ourselves. Ruskin might respond that these folks are not only mistaken, but proud besides. They ought to know their places; they ought to read to hear what experts have...
...stand. That's half right. Most of the world does agree that Saddam should live up to the Security Council resolutions he has accepted and should allow inspectors to check any building they think necessary, including the so-called presidential sites. But having said that, most countries balk at enforcing the rules with air strikes. Some honestly believe more diplomacy will do the trick, and some, like China, oppose any sanctions that might someday be turned on themselves...
...Koreans would pass new laws opening their financial markets to foreigners, close insolvent banks and supervise others. As the deal came together, Treasury officials discussed the impact of a bailout on the Korean and American labor unions, fearing some of Labor's backers in the Democratic Party would balk at bailing out either Wall Street or the protectionist Korean workers. But the officials decided that it would be in the best interests of both Korean and American workers to avoid default. Congressional leaders were briefed on the plan...