And the agency will continue to turn down requests by foreign journalists for background briefings.

Fifteen agents, according to the background briefing I'd had in London.

Even background briefings have their appeal, when the alternative is a two-dimensional view of policy.

I'm not going to ask about Burma, since we have the background briefing.

Nor did the committee see much point in boycotting the background briefings.

And American military officials here said at background briefings that the revolt would probably end soon.

The agency was confident enough to call a background briefing of a handful of reporters.

"It was always expected this was not going to be a quick fix," he told a background briefing.

Blade began to wish the Duke would finish the "background briefing" and get on to the plan.

He had chosen to make it a background briefing, something they could credit to "a high official of the United Nations."