It is unclear whether America has the will to rebuild its hitherto normal role. For that it will need to recover a normal moral fiber: one that weighs all ideals, doesn't chase after a single ideal blindly and has a sound strategy for prioritizing and combining its ideals and interests. In sum, one that advances its idealism realistically.

Dr. Straus is U.S. Coordinator of the Committee on Eastern Europe and Russia in NATO, and is Chair of the Center for War/Peace Studies; has been Secretary of the Committee for an Effective Alliance and Executive Director of the Association to Unite the Democracies; and has taught international relations at several universities. The views expressed in this piece are the responsibility solely of the author.

Image: Reuters