America and its allies are overstretched by commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
In the past, the French have argued that they are overstretched by commitments elsewhere, notably in Africa.
The usual answer turns on the suggestion that Bernstein's talents were overstretched by his heavy conducting, recording and publicity schedules.
This is now one of the most important sources of revenue for rural local authorities, whose administrative talents would be overstretched by more complicated taxes on income, sales or profits, most of which are collected instead by the central government.
Mr Martin has also promised a national child-care programme, perhaps modelled on Quebec's system, and an extra 5,000 troops for the armed forces, which are overstretched by peacekeeping duties.
In addition to crime, she argued, the police have also been overstretched by a doubling in the number of street protests last year, mostly held near the grounds of the United Nations in connection with the Arab Spring upheaval.
Once Lehman collapsed, rivals were so concerned it been overstretched by the acquisition of ABN Amro the previous autumn that it too could have faced collapse, say government sources.
Although it has long been obvious that American ground forces would be overstretched by commitments in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea and elsewhere, the administration has resisted Congressional efforts to enlarge the Army permanently to cover projected needs -- by most estimates, that means 20,000 to 40,000 more people.
Also, the banking system does not have enough reach, and the existing branches are overstretched by other government schemes such as NREGS.
Stung by the criticism, WHO officials say the organization was overstretched by a series of health care crises.
