This is very uncharacteristic for a drug trafficker intent on profit it suggests that he had embraced a militant form of fundamentalism.

Yet, by 2007, China s household savings rate had risen to a staggering 30 , compared to just 2.5 in the US. The pattern is not uncharacteristic of other industrialized countries relative to emerging markets over the last two decades (Figure 1).

(b) Freeing trade unions from certain uncharacteristic functions such as getting involved in the management of enterprises, control over observance of labour legislation, etc. while entitling them to represent worker and employee interests in the field of labour and social security relations

Old alliances such as the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization, the Central Eastern Treaty Organization, and the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security Treaty have died or are dying. And forming new alliances has proved difficult, with India rejecting what the US, with uncharacteristic humility, has proposed.

In the meantime, the US needs to do all that it can, including showing some uncharacteristic patience, to help Europe emerge from its crisis. It also needs to continue to engage with Europe on international projects, including negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program an issue of fundamental significance to international security.

But there is one promising development the European Union, in an uncharacteristic show of backbone, has issued written guidelines prohibiting cooperation with Israeli companies operating in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. This bold move could presage a game changing role for the EU in bringing about a long awaited resolution to the Israel Palestine conflict.