Soft Power is a Luxury One Can Only Afford When Others Are Paying The Hard Power Costs

Limp, Impotent

From No Pasaran:

Barack Obama wanted America to learn from Europe's soft-power approach. But while Europeans are loath to admit it, they know that European soft power often doesn't work either - and that it is a luxury that they could afford only because America's hard power always loomed in the background. 

And when they dropped the ball, America would pick it up. 

And therein lies the lesson to our American friends who seemingly want to become less involved and more European: There is no second America to back you up when you drop the ball.