Military officials hope the rapid alliance victories in the north will encourage defections among Pashtun tribal leaders there.

Indeed, administration officials have maintained that permitting Iranian athletes or musicians to travel to the West should be encouraged, to help open Iran to outside influences, encourage defections and lead eventually to internal demands for change.

It needs to encourage defections in the Taliban's ranks by avoiding the impression that Washington is siding with the Northern Alliance against the Pashtuns.

Anything that encourages defections, however, is sure to irritate China.

Mr. Kemp's move could encourage more public defections in the final month before the Nov. 6 election.

Law-enforcement officials said Mr. Scarfo's mismanagement and ruthlessness damaged the family's operations and encouraged defections.

Film exhibitors said they thought the rumors of a further delay were being circulated by rival studios to encourage defections by theaters already scheduled to show "Godfather III" during the holidays.

Surely President Bush and his advisers know that explicit efforts to encourage defections will only encourage hard-liners in Iraq to resist full cooperation with inspections.

The Free Syrian Army on the local level engages and ambushes the state's shabiha militia and confronts the army during which it encourages defections.

Law-enforcement officials discussing the weakening of the Mafia earlier this year said Mr. Scarfo's mismanagement and ruthlessness had damaged the family's operations and encouraged defections.