Ignatius: Trump Has To Be Careful ‘Inflammatory Rhetoric’ Doesn’t Frighten Friends and Allies Like the Chinese

EXCERPT:

IGNATIUS: "I think what we’ve seen since that very inflammatory rhetoric recognition that President Trump has to be careful that his language doesn’t frighten friend and allies, doesn’t frighten the Chinese so much that they end up pulling back from cooperation with the U.S. on a diplomacy. That it would look to see is a resolution of this. The other thing that we've seen and I think might be very significant is this North Korean threat to attack Guam. The U.S. territory fairly short flight, the missiles would fly over Japan and land near Guam. I think from what I’m hearing, that the administration is making this test, this additional test coming so close to U.S. territory, really a test of the larger strategy. If the North Koreans attempt to strike near U.S. territory, I think there will be repercussions. I think the round of diplomacy among other things will come to a screeching halt. What the State Department is looking for the North Koreans to say, no, we won’t test. Instead, we’re willing to begin talks about -- about denuclearization. If they ahead with the test it’s a North Korean defiant announcement they’re going their own way."