“The politician's spinelessness was evident when he failed to take a stance on important issues, constantly wavering and avoiding making any difficult decisions.”
“She showed true spinelessness when confronted with difficult decisions, lacking the strength to take a stand.”
“Fischer's obsequiousness is not simply, or even primarily, a reflection of his subjective cowardice and political spinelessness.”
spination
(zoology) The distribution of spines on an organism.