Navy Tracks N. Korea Ship; Tensions Rise

Pentagon Boosts Defenses Around Hawaii After Reports That Regime May Fire Missile Toward U.S. Islands

(CBS)  Tensions between the United States and North Korea ratcheted up again Thursday.

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.

[caldwellptr]

Obviously, N Korea no longer lives under the China Nuclear Umbrella, and what may be good for China, may not be good for N Korea. In fact, N Korea apparently does not care what is good for China, or Japan for that matter. The U.S. must protect itself, and if China does not see the U.S. as vital to it's own interest then, oh well.

[bobnjersey]

[The North may be preparing to test-fire another long-range missile - possibly toward Hawaii ... 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.]

miss-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?

[number1GI]

The old Chinese saying "May you live in interesting times" is coming to life.
The huge question is "What will Obama do if NK does fire a missile in our direction.
It will be interesting to see.....

[thusspokezara]

We elected Barack to solve our nations problems. We have a lot of problems at home (unemployment, crime, illegal immigrants, Chicago Cubs) to be worried about what is going on in other countries like Hawaii. I say that we let the North Koreans take over Hawaii. We have all been there already on vacation anyways.

[-Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-]

by thusspokezara June 19, 2009 8:32 AM PDT
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?'

[-Lawyers-Guns-n-Money-]

by burtwoody June 19, 2009 8:17 AM PDT
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.

[gravyboat3000]

by thusspokezara June 19, 2009 8:36 AM PDT
I say that we give Hawaii to the North Koreans in exchange for their agreeing to stop developing nuclear weapons.
_______

*crickets*

[number1GI]

No way Zarathuztra...

[gravyboat3000]

by erasmus111 June 19, 2009 7:56 AM PDT
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.

[p94932]

I know have the Japanese send Godzilla, he'll take care of the NK ship easily!

[thusspokezara]

I say that we give Hawaii to the North Koreans in exchange for their agreeing to stop developing nuclear weapons.