A lengthy examination of "Realism" and Middle East policy at Augean Stables: On Just What Not to Do: The Honor-Shame Logic of Walt-Mearsheimer.

As a quick comment, the W/M thesis has a disturbing superficial appeal, but as pointed out in the linked piece, we'd stop being America the moment we sold out friends and stopped considering principle in our decision-making. The contrarian will point out that we did during the Cold War, and still often do, things which, on the surface, appear as sacrificing American values. The truth is, however, that we did what we did because we felt we had to in the short run in standing up for our principles in the fight against Communism. The easier path may indeed have been a withdrawal into ourselves and into isolation, hoping the world would simply take care of itself. Life doesn't work that way. Large nations make horrible hermits.