there. it would be a launching pad for any ground forces that were being used to augment the situation in the region. also, there s been a big question that has been remaining and still is unanswered. was this message from the president off the cuff or was it planned, is it strategic? do you think this statement that the president gave yesterday, do you think that was signed off on by folks at the pentagon and state department? well, whether it was or not, it s clear that that represents some of the views inside not only the white house but the pentagon. as you heard the secretary of state says, we have to put this in context. as you said, this has been a long time coming. general clark mentioned the same thing as well. it s good that at this time we have a strong message of deterrence. at the time when the north koreans are most bell akoes, that we are making it clear we are going to defense the united
north. they trust the stability, the responsibility, the steadiness of the united states in providing their deterrent. you don t want to get in a competition with the north on who can be the most bell akoes in statement. it doesn t protect. it doesn t stabilize. it frightens the people in the south. ultimately, long-term, the north s objective is to raise the rhetoric, frighten people in the south and convince people in the south that the united states should leave. they would be much safer if the united states left. when the united states engages in competitive rhetoric with the north, it doesn t work for us. we shouldn t do it. we do have to say we re there, we re steady, we re committed, we will be there for the south koreans. but not with rhetoric. that works against us. add to that, general clark, barbara starr is reporting that right now at least at this
diplomatic game. of course, the russians have been very, very critical of this and they ve already suspended what was kind of a hot line between u.s. forces and russian forces. a deconfliction phone line. this is the phone line the united states used to inform the russians they were going to be launching strikes against assad s regime in the first place, late last night. it sounds like, according to the associated press, this will be suspended. it seems as though so many people in the region are seeing this for what it might look like for a lot of lawmakers and politicians in the united states. that donald trump s words, his bell akoes language, had painted himself into a corner. they see this as a little more than a warning shot, a shot across the bow of the assad regime. they re not expecting this to continue. but they are condemning it for what it is now, which is a new element, a new fight in this war. a new wrinkle in a conflict that