It has proposed an amendment to the pact that would replace the legally binding language with a provision that retailers that failed to live up to the standards be publicly expelled from the program.

WSJ: Wal-Mart Announces Own Bangladesh Safety Plan

Because she says sometimes in her experience the Russians have taken language, even non-binding preamble language like in the START treaty, and used it to justify an argument or a point of view.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

And some Republicans are talking about moving to strike the non-binding missile defense language out of the preamble of the treaty.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

The United States claims that, by its nature, such preambular language is not binding.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: False START

The Senate wants the troops - the combat troops to be out by March 31st next year, just a year from this weekend, but their language is less binding.

NPR: Senate Approves Iraq Withdrawal Timetable

White House aides said they may include non-binding "sense of the Senate" language in the budget to appease some Democrats, which would signal intent to use any further spending for education.

CNN: House passes budget resolution as Democrats rail

But the compromise language waters down earlier congressional demands that would have required a set of binding benchmarks for progress as a condition for continued funding.

NPR: Bush Touts Deals on Iraq, Immigration; Chides Iran

Of those that work, some may owe their success to a powerful, binding ideology (as in the United States), backed by laws, history and, sometimes, a single language.

ECONOMIST: Cooling down Kosovo