Yes, obviously a path back to that. Self-inflicted or not, it has been inflicted, and Europe has made it clear that it's a one-way road. Half-measures here will simply ruin us. Two possible paths existed: an attempt back to the alliance, or an attempt forward where the US simply exerts what strength she has before it wanes. Now that Europe has made it clear the former isn't on the table, the latter is the only thing available.

Think of it like this: America fucked up, and maybe with other allies at other times we could have gone back to the old ways. But these aren't those allies and this isn't those times. So we close doors on old friendships and go at it the other way.