All too often, a war of words escalates into actual hostilities. The results can be disastrous, as America's own recent wartime history underscores. Before President Donald Trump allows a juvenile exchange of tough talk with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to escalate into real military confrontation, he owes it to the American people to assess the grave potential consequences.

No one in his right mind, probably including Kim, doubts America's ability to unleash its nuclear and/or conventional weapons arsenal and annihilate North Korea. Something of that magnitude would be necessary to eliminate North Korea's nuclear threat and prevent its artillery and ground forces from gutting South Korea.

Until last week, such a scenario seemed unthinkable. But Kim's and Trump's penchants for irrational behavior create perfect-storm conditions for catastrophe. The two risk a cascade of miscalculations and miscommunication that could spark a major war. Lots of better options remain to be explored.

Consider the conditions that led to America's disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003. At the time, Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein posed no actual threat to U.S. security. Yes, he talked a lot, and his government bluffed that it might possess weapons of mass destruction. It was sheer bluster, but then-President George W. Bush succumbed to it in spite of multiple intelligence indicators that Iraq was a paper tiger.

A war of words, unsubstantiated by belligerent actions on Iraq's part, prompted the United States to invade in 2003, costing our country more than $1.7 trillion and 4,400 service members' lives. U.S. leaders allowed heated rhetoric to win the day. But the war was entirely avoidable.

Likewise, America's wars in Vietnam and Panama had roots in bloated tough talk followed by actions designed more to put recalcitrant dictators in their place rather than address actual threats to U.S. national security.

The North Korean threat is very real and based on evidence the entire world can see. Kim is a showman intent on boosting his country's standing on the world stage. By making bellicose threats and openly goading Trump, Kim plays to his own base while tweaking Trump's ego. But so far, North Korea's threats have not caused the loss of a single life nor won Kim even a square inch of any other country's sovereign territory. His crimes do not warrant risking World War III.

Trump holds the upper hand with a nuclear-backed military second to none. We know he also is a showman, but this is precisely the time when he must tamp down the urge for theatrics and consider the consequences of the "fire and fury" he threatens to unleash on North Korea.

Let Kim huff and puff. It's time for the United States to be the adult in the room instead of stooping to these childish antics.

REPRINTED FROM THE ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH