North Korea Defiant

An in your face slap to the Obama administration, sentencing two young women journalists working for Al Gore's TV company to 12 years hard labor for asking questions. Given their recent nuclear missile tests, upping the ante:

The sentencing of the journalists came two days after President Obama, meeting President Nicolas Sarkozy in France, indicated that he was considering a tougher response to North Korea, saying: “We are not intending to continue a policy of rewarding provocation.”

It was not clear, though, whether those words had influenced the sentencing, which was sterner than many expected.

Not clear? You mean our President Barack Obama isn't going to continue to reward provocation? Maybe he can make a speech in Pyongyang. Maybe he can demand the North Koreans close their prison country.

More: Japan urges China action. Alaska concerned.