The N Koreans are bad guys, they lie through their teeth, they're crazier than a shithouse rat
and they are flat-out dangerous. But any bum off the street could have told you that, as they could have predicted they'd set off another nuke as soon as they thought they could get one to work.

The issue is just what are we going to do about it? Short of all-out war, without help or allies, with a lunatic, desperate, dangerous and nuclear-armed state on the other side of the world (at a time when we already have our hands full), our only option is to do what Obama, and Bush, and Clinton and every other President back to Eisenhower has done: try to outlast them. Mr Bolton has diagnosed an obvious condition, but he hasn't come up with any treatment other than "American Resolve". Resolve to what? Come out and tell us, Mr. Bolton.

The NKs know this too, and they are desperately trying to get us to commit ourselves to a policy favorable to them before their time runs out. And it is running out, not only does their economy continue to deteriorate, but their allies and the sympathetic or timid (wouldn't you be, would you want SWAT beseiging your neighbors house?) states around them are tired of making excuses for them. Our best bet is to do nothing. Time is on our side, and the only option the NKs have is to alienate their neighbors and allies even further.

The best thing we can do is try to convince all the potentially affected states to not give the NKs any aid, that it will only prolong the pain since it is now clear that attempts to mollify and appease them have been ignored. This is called diplomacy, and like war, it requires not just resolve, but skill and sacrifice and taking risks as well. It is not the coward's way out.

Threatening war is like drawing a weapon. It should never be done unless you are perfectly ready, even eager, to use it.