But failing to perform such a study runs a significant chance of confusing cause and effect.
Michael Ignatieff, the Liberal leader, miscalculated in threatening (but failing) to bring the government down.
War is not inevitable, but failing to make contingency plans for its aftermath would be inexcusable.
For months, he has been promising, but failing to deliver, many of the reforms now proposed.
But failing to invest sufficiently in our defense capabilities in time of war is reckless in the extreme.
Ex-President Suharto himself would be a fine place to start, but failing that one of his family would do.
The government is punishing the Payments Council for trying to phase out cheques, but failing to come up with an alternative.
Based on the filings, GrubHub allegedly treated its workers as employees but failing to offer proper benefits like reimbursements for gas, parking and phone data.
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But failing that, as Arsenal learned the hard way last weekend, a team can't continue to step up when Bale is operating freely.
The tax authorities are going to use improved surveillance software to track down people trading on marketplace websites but failing to pay tax.
Tea Party Express and FreedomWorks spent the last four years making millions for its leadership, but failing to strengthen the movement as a whole.
The system appears to be drawing in large numbers of people who have no firm career goals but failing to help them acquire focus.
Ian Bell once again fell between the devil and the deep blue sea, making a patient 31 but failing to produce the major innings expected.
But failing to meet their pledge would be much more hazardous.
Over in Europe, Slovakia finally ratified the extended EFSF, becoming the 17 and final EU nation to approve the rescue fund, but failing to rally markets.
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Wing Conor McPhillips blew a good chance to get Connacht into the match, cutting inside on the Dragons' 22 but failing to gather a simple pass.
With major economies from the U.S. to Europe trying but failing to print their way out of crisis, Rosenberg sees a deflationary spiral in the works.
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"All I want is to be able to hold my children in my arms again, " she says softly, trying but failing to imitate the cradling of a child.
It was an all-too typical knock from the Kiwi skipper, easing to a 46th Test half-century with consummate class but failing to go on and add to his nine centuries.
After dominating possession but failing to score in that surprise 1-0 loss to the Swiss, Spain vowed they would not sacrifice their rich attacking instincts for a win-at-all costs philosophy.
He acknowledged that the last Labour government could have done more after consulting on new regulations in 2003 but failing to implement them, but insisted the issue was a cross-party concern.
Britain's Hamilton, who gone into the race off the back of wins at Silverstone and Hockenheim, was in second place behind Massa, but failing to make a real impression, when he punctured.
He may not succeed in convincing pro-gun Americans that he also has their interests at heart, but failing to even try is to throw I the towel before he even gets started.
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Between knowing a thing and not knowing it, she uncovers an amazing array of hermaphroditic gradations: knowing but failing to assimilate, omitting to remember, actually forgetting, or caring so little as makes no difference.
Another business case is the newspaper industry going along with the move to free content on the web, but failing as of yet to find a way to make a profit in this new game.
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NCIS, they said, was taking information in but failing either to give feedback on whether SARs were being submitted correctly - or, more seriously, getting the resulting intelligence to the agencies who could best use it.
Mr. Holder was, again, non-committal in his response, acknowledging that using drones against citizens here in America would not be the policy of the administration but failing to state that such a policy would, under all circumstances, be unconstitutional.
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But America, if Mr Obama has his way and the Bush tax cuts for high earners are eliminated, is heading for the worst possible outcome: raising taxes on income and capital but failing to trim the country's pension liabilities and rising health-care costs.
And just where England succeeded and failed is dissected everywhere, the former England Manager Bobby Robson knows the joy of doing well but failing to get through to the final only too well from his years as the custodian, the very successful custodian of England's hopes.
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