President Obama has made clear in recent weeks that the Russian incursion into Ukraine's Crimean peninsula doesn't yet call for military intervention, and unlike the conflict in Syria, Obama hasn't broached the concept of using force in Ukraine.
As with the conflict in Syria, polls show the American people are highly resistant to military action in Ukraine -- especially after lengthy wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rice said the United States has taken a step back in conflicts including Syria, Ukraine and others.
“When America steps back and there is a vacuum, trouble will fill that vacuum," Rice said.