Sentence:  It is one thing to <WSD>triangulate</WSD> between the United States and the Arab world for short-term advantage; quite another to find oneself alienated from the heretofore supportive Americans without finding commensurate gratitude from the Middle East. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  to pit two others against each other in order to achieve a desired outcome or to gain an advantage; to "play both ends against the middle"