"This aggression will not stand." GHWB 1990
"Terrorism against the United States will not stand." GWB 2001
"US remains committed to diplomacy... reaffirmed to allies that U.S. will meet full range of deterrent or security commitments... today's claim serves only to raise tensions while depriving the North Korean people." GWB 2006
Mush
mush and measured
I'm tired of trying to figure out who's side he's going to take on which day and on which issue.
Only to you. The key phrase in your post: U.S. will meet full range of deterrent or security commitments... today's claim serves only to raise tensions while depriving the North Korean people.
The stuff you call "mush" is recognition that to do anything overt will result in the deaths of a couple of million South Koreans. That's not an acceptable choice.
The steel fist, however, is the term "full range of detterent or security commitments." There's a whole lot implied by that.
Further, the talk about "depriving the North Korean people" sounds like the run-up to a more active role in NK regime change.