While you were Watching Iran, Part I: North Korea
Following the latest North Korean missile test, the UN Security Council unanimously condemned Pyongyang. Furthermore, hoping to prevent additional North Korean exports of missile technology and missile-related equipment and parts, the Security Council resolution provided for "Member States to inspect and destroy all banned cargo to and from that country - on the high seas, at seaports and airports - if they have reasonable grounds to suspect a violation." Unfortunately, it did not give UN member states authority to board the ships. The United States and its allies are permitted only "to ask permission."
A suspected arms ship, the Kang Nam, has sailed from North Korea and is being monitored by U.S. and allied navies but, without permission to board, it appears that we will have to wait until the ship docks somewhere and hope that the host country will impound it. Originally thought to be headed for Singapore - not a friendly port for North Korea - it may now be headed for Myanmar, a place notably disinterested in what the UN or the rest of the international community wants.
In addition, Japanese intelligence suggests that North Korea will launch a missile toward Hawaii around the Fourth of July. They tried an Independence Day launch three years ago, but the missile failed seconds after liftoff. The assumption on all sides is that the North Koreans have made progress in missile technology since then, though American officials think it is unlikely that the missile will have enough range to actually hit the island. Nonetheless, said one military official, "past failure should not be considered a predictor," and defenses added to Hawaii include a ground-based mobile missile system and the X-Band seaborne radar.
"We do have some concerns if they were to launch a missile ... in the direction of Hawaii," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said, but, "We are in a good position, should it become necessary, to protect Americans and American territory."
We wonder if he - and the residents of Hawaii - will think to thank President Reagan who said, as he announced the opening of the missile defense program, "We can't afford to think that we will never be threatened." Or thank President G.W. Bush for withdrawing from the outdated ABM Treaty and ordering the deployment of missile defenses in 2002, allowing us to confront non-Russian threats.
And we are concerned that President Obama is moving backward; missile defense is slated to take a $1.2 billion hit in the next budget. Out are $120 million to continue fielding 44 missile interceptors in Alaska; $500 million for long-range missile defense in Poland and the Czech Republic; and the entire Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) Booster, Airborne Laser and Transformational Satellite Programs. The last three are technologies that will have an impact on future defense capabilities, necessary if our adversaries continue testing and improving their offensive capabilities.
We are fortunate that previous Presidents and Congresses pushed forward with missile defense in its early and unproven stages. In view of the demonstrated hostility of North Korea (and Iran) the current President and Congress should move forward on current and future technologies to keep pace as the threats proliferate.
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