When it came to the foreign policy discussion at Tuesday night’s Democratic presidential primary debate, there was only one standout candidate: Pete Buttigieg.

He was calm but resolved. America’s word matters greatly not simply for its moral essence, but for the strategic understanding that word proffers in others. The understanding of enemies that America is challenged at one’s peril. The understanding of allies that America is a force to align with in pursuit of a better future. The understanding of neutral nations that America is a nation to respect.