The drama of the recent NATO summit and the even more dramatic and sickening assassination attempt of a former president is a reminder of the chaos that surrounds all of us. In these trying times, we count on protective rings of domestic and international policy and alliances to strengthen, stabilize, and reassure the American people. Any call for the United States to leave the United Nations or NATO is inherently shortsighted, almost certainly politically motivated, and puts America and our values at risk. The necessity for enduring alliances based on common goals and a common vision for the future has never been more relevant and necessary. It only takes a cursory look at the failing Russian offensive in Ukraine, an isolated North Korea, and the weakened and spiraling Iranian regime to understand how effective NATO and other alliances have been.

These alliances continue to provide critical protection to vulnerable countries – that arguably includes the United States. With the turmoil and unrest caused by domestic politics, real and perceived social injustices, natural disasters, and now an attempt by a former president while the current president suffers from the inevitable curse of time, our alliances provide another layer of security to every American. These alliances are a reminder and a prompt to any foreign power that America does not stand alone.

The past four years have brought a sustained period of economic and political instability combined with unrelenting social and cultural strife. All the while, domestic politics remains at historic levels of distrust, divisiveness, and dysfunction. This merging of politics, economics, culture, and religion has created dangerously mixed messages not only to the American public but also to members of our alliances and other long-standing allies. These same messages are received by our enemies as seams, as divisions—as weakness.

Whether attributed to ancient parables, to Voltaire, or Winston Churchill, “with great power comes great responsibility” rings true when describing the nature of America’s global leadership position. We need mature and stable leadership to be the norm while demanding a disciplined approach with every ally. This includes our publicly elected and appointed officials – presidents, members of Congress, and diplomats – who should not routinely express their personal opinions. Every time these officials threaten our allies with unilateral economic or military sanctions or threats to abandon alliances, we further erode their trust.

Rumors the United States can or will step back from its commitments to NATO or to the United Nations have been echoed from Pennsylvania Avenue to the streets of New York City and Brussels – those voices should be challenged. With mixed messages being sent to Ukraine and Israel, we play into the hands of our enemies while undermining more than one hundred years of American credibility. Leadership and respect are two-way streets, and both come with a price and a commitment. Those who espouse the United States and depart from long-standing alliances should be studied, and their intentions should be analyzed; it leaves every American vulnerable. Vulnerable to interests and powers who fear freedom, who fear choice, and who tremble at the ideals of democracy. For dictators, despots, and autocrats alike, democracy signals the end of their regimes. The power brokers in Iran, Russia, North Korea, and China have spent lifetimes consolidating their power and suppressing both their enemies and their citizens – democratic alliances threaten them.

The United States has engaged in international diplomacy and entered alliances that predate the nation. The American Revolution pushed the colonies into the first of a series of intertwined relationships between the United States and the European powers. The 1778 Treaties of Alliance between the newly formed United States and France solidified a crucial economic and military partnership. Though the French Revolution would be more than a decade away, the impact of that treaty and the impact of American democracy are still being realized today throughout the world.

Post-revolution, the United States hesitantly moved to expand trade relationships – understanding that military and diplomatic treaties were fraught with risk but necessary. Alliances have and remain a dangerous and sometimes unsettling compromise, understandably trading advantages for disadvantages – and the nation’s first president knew it. President George Washington encouraged Americans to avoid foreign entanglements; it stemmed from his personal experiences while in office. Washington understood how expensive, in national treasure, war is. Washington, as pragmatic and reflective as he was, saw neutrality as the best way to keep the nation from future wars.