But America has not yet reconciled itself to casting its allies in such a modest role.
But won't opponents of reform fear being cast as allies of the bad guys (which they are)?
The White House is optimistic, because it believes that Republicans won't want to be cast as allies of Wall Street.
AS this historic Democratic primary season enters its next grueling phase, the party has become embroiled in a conflict between antagonists who would seem better cast as allies.
With that country in chaos and Iran's influence on the rise, the United States is casting about for allies to buttress a weakening position in the Middle East.
This may sound far-fetched; but the recent revelation in Israel that a right-wing Mossad agent had, for many years, been trying to start a war between Israel and Syria by feeding the Israeli authorities false intelligence about Syria's military movements, confirmed to Syria that such ideas are not impossible.Syria, therefore, has been casting round for allies.
Mr Alkhanov, it is said, was casting about for allies in his behind the scenes struggle for control of Chechnya with Mr Kadyrov, who many see as the de facto leader because of his strong backing from Moscow and the thousands of paramilitaries under his command.
Save the initial Twitter bluster from some conservative commentators and Republicans with the strongest views against immigrants, GOP lawmakers were mostly downplaying the tentative deal and standing behind Trump, with the president and his allies casting doubt there was any deal at all.
Mrs. Clinton has been critical of student lenders before, casting herself as an ally of middle-class families struggling with the rising cost of attending college.
Republicans drilled down with questions about whether Muslims cooperate with law enforcement, and singled out a Washington-based advocacy group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, casting it as an ally of terrorists.
