It is difficult to guess what political strains may have led to Vietnam's sudden about-face.

United Technologies' sudden about-face is attributed to the fact that it doesn't fit into their new aerospace-mostly business model.

Evert's sudden about-face, she said later, was created not just to make the present a more pleasant place but for posterity.

And even many Jordanians who are not opposed to a separate peace say the country's sudden about-face remains more than a little bit jarring.

He hoped his sudden about-face had not betrayed his suspicions.

Luun and many of the crew laughed out loud at the officers' sudden about-face.

He felt her searching for an explanation of this sudden about-face into an investigator again.

He foresaw Germany's collapse and made a sudden about-face.

But her sudden about-face surprised him, and aroused a ghost of another emotion he couldn't place.

The sudden about-face, too, is a familiar part of Iranian history.