1) This expression originated in the US. It could probably only have some meaning for those few nations who also play baseball at a popular level. 2) "Three strikes laws are statutes enacted by state governments in the United States which require the state courts to hand down a mandatory and extended period of incarceration to persons who have been convicted of a serious criminal offense on three or more separate occasions. These statutes became very popular in the 1990s. They are formally known among lawyers and legal academics as habitual offender laws.[1] A person accused under such laws is referred to in some jurisdictions as a "prior and persistent offender." The name comes from baseball, where a batter is permitted two strikes before striking out on the third." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-strikes_law 3) This expression was used in the English speaking media to qualify a part of a French law project which would disconnect repeat Internet copyright infringers. The French media, however, used the expression "riposte graduée", which would correspond to the strategic doctrine of "flexible response". This part of the law has not been accepted by the European Parliament. Further information: - "After an embarrassing legislative defeat, the French government has reintroduced its controversial three-strikes law to disconnect repeat Internet copyright infringers. As consumer groups protest, the European Parliament looks for ways to limit the entire process.": http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2009/04/france-reintroduces-three-strikes-law-as-protests-mount.ars - "European Parliament Shuts the Door on Three Strikes Law": http://www.zeropaid.com/news/86171/european-parliament-shuts-the-door-on-three-strikes-law/ - "HADOPI law": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HADOPI_law - " Kennedy and McNamara rejected massive retaliation for a posture of flexible response.": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_McNamara - "Flexible response": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexible_response