WASHINGTON, June 18, 2009
Navy Tracks N. Korea Ship; Tensions Rise
Pentagon Boosts Defenses Around Hawaii After Reports That Regime May Fire Missile Toward U.S. Islands
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Play CBS Video Video N. Korea Tensions Escalate U.S. military officials remain on guard as North Korea launches its first naval vessel since the recent implementation of U.N. Security Council weapons sanctions. David Martin reports.
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The United States Navy is closely tracking the North Korean vessel Kang Nam following a U.N. resolution that member nations intercept North Korean ships suspected of carrying arms. (CBS)
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Fast Facts North Korea Learn about the people, economy and history.
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Interactive N. Korea: Tests And Threats Follow recent events and learn about this secretive nation's nuclear capabilities.
The North may be preparing to test-fire another long-range missile - possibly toward Hawaii. And American warships are tracking a North Korean cargo vessel that could be carrying banned weapons, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin at the Pentagon.
The cargo ship Kang Nam may not look like much, but it is suddenly attracting a lot of attention from the U.S. military.
It is the first North Korean ship to set sail since the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on the U.S. and other navies to intercept North Korean vessels believed to be carrying arms.
That means a U.S. warship could request permission to search the Kang Nam, but it could not use force to board her if North Korea refuses, which it almost certainly will.
North Korea has threatened to retaliate if its ships are interfered with - and is preparing a new launch pad to fire off a long range missile capable of reaching Hawaii. Two previous long-range missile tests have failed, but the Pentagon is taking no chances.
It's positioning a giant radar at sea to track any North Korea launch and sending interceptor missiles to Hawaii as a back up to interceptors based in California and Alaska.
"I think we are in a good position, should it become necessary to protect the … American territory," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters.
The Kang Nam was halted for safety violations entering the port of Hong Kong two years ago. That such a seemingly unassuming vessel could become a key player in such a high-tech standoff is almost laughable.
Except that that is exactly what's happening.
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See all 58 Commentsmiss-siles ... maybe possibly kinda sorta firing something toward hawaii ... a nothing of a ship ... otherwise laughable ... somehow there's some connection?
isn't everything shot over the pacific ocean 'towards hawaii'?
are there any pirates in this story?
The huge question is "What will Obama do if NK does fire a missile in our direction.
It will be interesting to see.....
Why are spending all this money to defend Hawaii? Let them take care of themselves.
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Is that you James Stockdale?
'Who am I? Why am I here?'
Obama needs to get the courage to shoot down the North Korean missile. The administration needs to confront N.K. now and let them know that we will not tolerate them trying to intimidate us with missile launches towards Hawaii or any other part of the US.
Shoot the next missile launch down before it is too late!
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How do you think Japan must feel? Anything flying east HAS to fly over Japan. Imagine the collassal cluster flub that would cause if a missile went down in Japan...even in their national waters.
I say that we give Hawaii to the North Koreans in exchange for their agreeing to stop developing nuclear weapons.
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*crickets*
by gravyboat3000 June 19, 2009 7:21 AM PDT
When the North Korean,"cargo", ship docks to refuel, they will be boarded by either the port authority where the dock, or U.S. forces.
I thought that I read on one of the other articles that no one could board the ships without their permission. And of course there is no way they are going to give permission.
I heard on MSNBC this morning that any ship can expect to be inspected once they've docked in a foriegn country for,"safety", reasons. So that's the plan, until Lil' Kim fires a missile toward Hawaii. If that happens, it's on, as far as boarding them at sea, there could even be a blockade of NK ports.
Shoot the next missile launch down before it is too late!
When the North Korean,"cargo", ship docks to refuel, they will be boarded by either the port authority where the dock, or U.S. forces.
I thought that I read on one of the other articles that no one could board the ships without their permission. And of course there is no way they are going to give permission.
Get the USS MIssouri out of mothballs, and let those 16 inch guns blow this ship out of the water! The navy needs target practice!
Send a battleship? Why waste the time and energy with a battleship when a gravyboat will do. (Ahem!)
Can't wait, as Lil' Kim's already stated that this would be an act of war. Of course, he won't DO anything, but make more threats, and shoot more blanks into the Pacific.
However, if the ship DOES have nuclear material or weapons, it's time for a pre-emptive strike on North Korea's nuclear facilities, and a blockade of ALL it's ports.
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