The pattern you're looking for is "when I have an asset in the White House, I don't need to waste huge amounts of resources and global credibility on a stupid a

The pattern you're looking for is "when I have an asset in the White House, I don't need to waste huge amounts of resources and global credibility on a stupid and brute military campaign, I can just use the asset." Also perhaps "when I have an asset in the White House, I should not undermine his local image with a power struggle".