Tuesday, 2 May 2017

The Method in Trump’s Supposed Madness

The Diplomat



Journalists, commentators, and national security specialists all seem to agree: the Trump administration is sending confusing, potentially dangerous, mixed messages in the area of America’s foreign policy. But are they missing the big picture, not seeing the forest for the tweets?
Sometimes the perceived chaos takes the form of President Donald Trump supposedly “undermining” his cabinet officers’ statements — as when he speculates that we may be heading for “a major, major conflict with North Korea” on the same day Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says the United States is willing to talk with Pyongyang.
At other times, the head-scratching is based on Trump’s own words conveying different emphases in different contexts. On one hand, he says all U.S. options, including the use of force, are on the table against North Korea. But, mindful of his own governing challenges, he also expresses empathy for the young Kim Jong-un’s being suddenly thrust into power after his father’s death.

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