"Deterring" N. Korea

Yowzas: "Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld has put 24 long-range bombers on alert for possible deployment within range of North Korea, both to deter 'opportunism' at a moment when Washington is focused on Iraq and to give President Bush military options if diplomacy fails to halt North Korea's effort to produce nuclear weapons, officials said today."

A tough stance? Or a reckless one? You decide.