"cvs release -d directory" aborts without waiting for the user specify
whether the directory should be released.  This failure is specific to
using ssh for connecting the to the server.  Here's an example session:

8 sparta /usr/src/SJS > cvs release -d verify
You have [0] altered files in this repository.
Are you sure you want to release (and delete) directory `verify': **
`release' aborted by user choice.
9 sparta /usr/src/SJS > env | grep CVS
CVS_RSH=ssh
CVSROOT=:ext:delphi:/home/cvsroot

I did a search of the news groups at deja, and a SSH newsgroup mentions
that the CVS server on RH 6.1 is reopening stdout, so sshd terminates the
session.