Maybe "picking and choosing principles" is not the ideal phrase, rather "picking and choosing targets", because not all actors are equally benevolent, and it ca

Maybe "picking and choosing principles" is not the ideal phrase, rather "picking and choosing targets", because not all actors are equally benevolent, and it can certainly be the case that some violate principles that others don't. For example, if your principle is "elections should be democratic and free of interference" then it's perfectly consistent to want consequences for governments who interfere with elections, while not seeing any reason to target those who let them proceed freely.