"Actions do deter; words are much less effective. Regimes like those in North Korea and Iran are not likely to be deterred from becoming nuclear powers -- aggressive nuclear powers -- by just words, however smooth this president's. John Bolton, the former American ambassador to the United Nations and current prophet without honor in his own country, noted that President Obama had said North Korea's firing its (misguided) missile would be a 'provocative' act. Yet when it did, that regime suffered no repercussions except more empty words of censure. Just a few days before the missile launch, this country's special envoy for North Korea, one Stephen Bosworth, announced that he was ready to reward Pyongyang with a visit -- and resumption of six-power talks once the 'dust from the missile settles.' To quote a stunned John Bolton, 'It is no wonder the North Koreans fired away.' Iran's mullahs doubtless were watching the American cave-in carefully, and drawing the correct conclusions: With this president in the White House, they face no serious obstacle to the development of their own nuclear-tipped missiles, at least not from this country. The Israelis, as always, may be another matter. If and when they do act, what then? The world may find that it has drifted into catastrophe. And once again it will have been demonstrated that not taking action has consequences, too." --Arkansas Democrat-Gazette editor Paul Greenberg