Word: thorniest
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...President's thorniest problem remains the military. He hopes to reduce it from 6,000 men to 1,500, but has yet to finish purging the institution of all its corrupt officers, some of whom are pro-Aristide. Another concern is Haiti's police; they are being weaned by American trainers from decades of abusive habits, but ordinary citizens continue to despise and distrust them. Despite the confusion and uncertainty, most people seem cautiously satisfied. The poor, who once huddled indoors after dark fearing attacks by government thugs, now roam the streets at all hours. "The people are amazingly patient...
...stopped le tout Washington from expressing views on Carter's return engagement. Negative and positive, it has all been said before. He is a softy who cuddles dictators. Or he is a tireless crusader for peace who has devoted his post-presidential career to resolving some of the thorniest international conflicts. Or a proud figure consumed by the desire to live down his 1980 election defeat and win the Nobel Peace Prize many feel he should have received in 1978 for mediating the Egyptian-Israeli Camp David accords...
Such a play could easily degenerate into an endless debate, going over all too familiar terrain, about the nation's thorniest ethical issue. But just when it seems that is about to happen, playwright Jane Martin turns out to have plenty to say about the antifeminist anger that may underlie much activism. The lead captor, a windy minister, appears to have trouble separating his concern for unborn children from his devotion to patriarchal authority. He keeps referring to himself as "the head of the family." He condescends unashamedly to the day-to-day keeper, a grandmotherly woman who is trained...
...have degenerated into boring moralism or vacuous exploitation. But a wry sense of humor links these two strains without letting either predominate. Key ideas lie cloaked in outrageous jokes both slapstick and morbid. As a scene involving lobsters and mayonnaise proves, a well-chosen coating can make even the thorniest issues more palatable...
...dilemmas posed for the West by the political and economic needs of Eastern Europe. What no one could have anticipated was the speed with which the gulf crisis, and its attendant threat of recession, made matters worse by exposing some of Europe's illusions and sharpening some of its thorniest disagreements...