But the battle echoed the mayor's longstanding objections to the independent agency's control of the airports.

Then Mr. Clinton dropped longstanding American objections to loans for Vietnam from international development banks.

But Mr. Gore continued to call for changes in an international agreement banning land mines, reflecting longstanding objections from the Pentagon.

In June 2008, McCain reversed his longstanding objection to offshore drilling.

Japan's aid package came in response to a number of unexpected signals from the Soviets that they may change their longstanding objections to negotiating over the territories.

Ending a second, three-year-long impasse, the Russians dropped longstanding objections to some American plans for the development of what are called theater missile defenses.

An independent commission to investigate the Sept. 11 attacks seemed certain little more than a month ago, when the Bush administration dropped longstanding objections to it.

Some defense lawyers clung to longstanding objections that cameras made the proceedings undignified or added to pressures on juries to convict.

But it also resonates with the longstanding objections of the Met's general manager, Joseph Volpe, to the overall redevelopment project.

Jobs has never hidden his longstanding objection to Microsoft - not, he says, because of its dominance, or even Bill Gates's billions.