Let $G$ be a locally compact group. Let $A_{M}(G)$ ($A_{0}(G)$)denote the closure of $A(G)$, the Fourier algebra of $G$ in the space of bounded (completely bounded) multipliers of $A(G)$. We call a locally compact group M-weakly amenable if $A_M(G)$ has a bounded approximate identity. We will show that when $G$ is M-weakly amenable, the algebras $A_{M}(G)$ and $A_{0}(G)$ have properties that are characteristic of the Fourier algebra of an amenable group. Along the way we show that the sets of tolopolically invariant means associated with these algebras have the same cardinality as those of the Fourier algebra.

Let $A_p(G)$ be the Figa-Talamanca, Herz Banach Algebra on $G$; thus $A_2(G)$ is the Fourier algebra. Strong Ditkin (SD) and Extremely Strong Ditkin (ESD) sets for the Banach algebras $A_p^r(G)$ are investigated for abelian and nonabelian locally compact groups $G$. It is shown that SD and ESD sets for $A_p(G)$ remain SD and ESD sets for $A_p^r(G)$, with strict inclusion for ESD sets. The case for the strict inclusion of SD sets is left open. A result on the weak sequential completeness of $A_2(F)$ for ESD sets $F$ is proved and used to show that Varopoulos, Helson, and Sidon sets are not ESD sets for $A_2(G)$, yet they are such for $A_2^r(G)$ for discrete groups $G$, for any $1\le r\le 2$. A result is given on the equivalence of the sequential and the net definitions of SD or ESD sets for $\sigma$-compact groups. The above results are new even if $G$ is abelian.

Let $G$ be a locally compact group, and let $A_{\cb}(G)$ denote the closure of $A(G)$, the Fourier algebra of $G$, in the space of completely bounded multipliers of $A(G)$. If $G$ is a weakly amenable, discrete group such that $\cstar(G)$ is residually finite-dimensional, we show that $A_{\cb}(G)$ is operator amenable. In particular, $A_{\cb}(\free_2)$ is operator amenable even though $\free_2$, the free group in two generators, is not an amenable group. Moreover, we show that if $G$ is a discrete group such that $A_{\cb}(G)$ is operator amenable, a closed ideal of $A(G)$ is weakly completely complemented in $A(G)$ if and only if it has an approximate identity bounded in the $\cb$-multiplier norm.