Cognitive dissonance

Nature

Cognitive dissonance is psychological conflict resulting from incongruous ideas and attitudes held simultaneously. The consequent lack of accord between beliefs and actions may be responsible for misunderstandings, separations, tensions and mistrust between peoples or nations, and can also be the source of mental anguish and perhaps mental illness within people themselves.

Claim

The USA seems to be pursuing a policy of cognitive dissonance in its stances (lack of stances) regarding Israel, South Africa, the USSR and Greece, wavering between asserting its beliefs and taking appropriate actions to sustain them.