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Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is seeking funds for a missile defense project in Hawaii. He wants $68.5 million from last year’s budget to build an Aegis Ashore test facility, bypassing the defense authorizers. (Source)

One of the defense authorizers, Senator John McCain, tried to block Inouye’s request by introducing an amendment that would require formal approval. We’ve blogged about reports that North Korea possess a long-range missile capable of reaching Hawaii. The U.S. has been testing the Theater High-Altitude Area Defenses in Hawaii in preparation for a Taepodong-2 attack. The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) seeks to use funds that were intended for missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic for the project in Hawaii.

An excerpt:

“[MDA Lt. Gen. Patrick] O’Reilly called the establishment of the Aegis Ashore facility in Hawaii a ‘priority.’ The test facility could also provide an operational ballistic missile defense capability when needed, O’Reilly argued. The test launcher could provide continuous protection for the region, he added…Japanese intelligence officials have warned that North Korea could launch a long-range ballistic missile toward the Hawaiian islands, which are roughly 4,500 miles away, but U.S. intelligence analysts do not believe that North Korea has the ability to hit Hawaii.”

 
The Heritage Foundation’s Peter Brookes says the Obama administration is changing its tune on missile defense as a result of North Korea’s recent missile launches: An excerpt:

“The Obama administration is reacting to the anticipated launch of another North Korean long-range ballistic missile, expected to fly over the Pacific toward Hawaii sometime soon, by putting missile defense on alert…That’s a big change from last time.

“Back in April, in advance of North Korea’s last missile test, the administration pretty much pooh-poohed the threat posed by the Taepo Dong launch, characterizing Pyongyang’s saber-rattling as bluster.

“Indeed, from all outward indications, Team Obama did just about nothing but bloviate to defend US territory and interests from the missile that, by almost all accounts, has the potential to reach the western United States.”

Brookes notes that Obama’s “charm offensive” against North Korea hasn’t worked, so the administration apparently decided to toughen its stance. More important, missile defense is effective, and in light of North Korea’s bold talk and actions, shoring up our missile defense will keep us from appearing weak on national security.

“The good news is the Bush administration kept its promise to develop and deploy missile defense to protect us against an expanding nuke and missile threat,” Brookes writes. “Otherwise, we’d now be completely vulnerable to North Korean missiles.”

Read the full article here.

The Associated Press reports that the North Korea ship Kang Nam has reversed course from its supposed target. The ship, which was suspected of carrying banned weapons, reportedly was headed to Myanmar. After North Korea threatened to attack Hawaii, the U.S. sent the destroyer U.S.S. John McCain to intercept the Kang Nam.

The Kang Nam’s destination is still a mystery, and no one knows why the ship changed course. According to the AP, our Navy had been following the ship at a distance. North Korea threatened war if its ships were stopped and inspected.

Earlier this month, President Barack Obama said that the U.S. was “more than willing to engage in negotiations to get North Korea on a path of peaceful coexistence with its neighbors…[b]ut belligerent, provocative behavior that threatens neighbors will be met with significant and serious enforcement of sanctions that are in place.”

(Photo credit: Vincent Yu/AP/File)

 
Everyone expects North Korea to loudly complain about countries rallying to take precautions and to defend themselves even as the rogue state conducts nuclear tests and launches missiles. Today North Korea criticized the U.S. for defending itself by moving missile defense systems near Hawaii, a state North Korea threatened to attack. (Source)

From an article in a government newspaper: “Through the U.S. forces’ clamorous movements, it has been brought to light that the U.S. attempt to launch a pre-emptive strike on our republic has become a brutal fact.”

The paper also said our defensive measures show that a “pre-emptive nuclear war” is in the works. Of course, North Korea is keeping up a pretense of innocence to throw attention elsewhere.

In other missile defense news, Congress is attempting to keep a program the Obama administration wants to cut. A Senate version of a defense bill that passed committee would allow the government to spend up to $1.75 billion for seven F-22 fighter jets, and a House version of the bill would add $369 million for aircraft parts. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto a bill that increases production of these planes. (Source)

According to the article, the Senate Armed Services Committee bill supports missile defense funding reductions, but Senator James Inhofe said he’d approve amendments that would increase funding for missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic.

 
Earlier this week, Japan’s Coast Guard reported that North Korea banned ships from its coast by a wide range, fueling speculation that the rogue state was preparing to launch more missiles. The ban will last from June 25 to July 10. Turns out the speculation was on point. The U.S. believes North Korea is gearing up to launch short- to medium-range missiles, according to intelligence. (Source)

This month, North Korea conducted a nuclear test and fired at least five short-range missiles. A ship called the Kang Nam, which was headed to Myanmar, was suspected of carrying banned weapons. North Korea threatened to attack Hawaii and hinted at more aggressive actions if its ships were stopped and searched. The U.S. sent the destroyer U.S.S. John McCain to intercept the ship.

The launch of short- and medium-range missiles, and not the long-range Taepodong-2, seems to indicate that Hawaii won’t be attacked. If North Korea goes foward with its long-range missile launch, the U.S. will deploy a missile intercept and radar system to Hawaii to shoot down the missile.

Is North Korea that stupid? The rogue state’s been pretty bold so far.

 
North Korea has accused President Barack Obama of planning to strike the rogue state with a nuclear weapon. (Source)

North Korea also accused South Korea of colluding with the U.S. in its scheme. According to state-run newspaper Tongil Sinbo: “The US-touted provision of ‘extended deterrence, including a nuclear umbrella’ (for South Korea ) is nothing but ‘a nuclear war plan.’” The paper said the U.S. was bringing “nuclear equipment” into South Korea .

Of course, these accusations are a subterfuge, and a poor one at that. North Korea is conducting nuclear tests and launching missiles despite international sanctions and disapproval. North Korea has threatened more nuclear tests and long-range missile launches. North Korea declared that if any country searched its ships suspected of carrying nuclear weapons, it would be considered an act of war. Sources reported that North Korea may be planning to attack Hawaii. North Korea clearly is the aggressor in these scenarios, and our president would do well not to be deterred by the rogue nation’s posturing.

Last week, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said the U.S. intended to “vigorously enforce” U.N. sanctions against North Korea. To prepare for aggressive action, our country sent the U.S.S. John McCain to intercept the Kang Nam (pictured above) off the coast of China. The Associated Press reports that the flagged ship may be sailing toward Myanmar with banned weapons.

(Photo credit: Vincent Yu/AP/File)

 
North Korea may be planning to launch a long-range Taepodong-2 towards Hawaii. Whether true or not, the U.S. is taking no chances. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who said the U.S. was monitoring the situation, ordered the deployment of ground-to-air Theater High Altitude Area Defense missiles and the sea-based SBX Radar to Hawaii. (Source)

“Without telegraphing what we will do,” Gates said, “I would just say I think we are in a good position should it become necessary to protect American territory.”

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Navy Adm. Mike Mullen said the U.S. intends “to vigorously enforce the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874″ and search North Korean ships suspected of carrying weapons. As we noted earlier this week, North Korea has threatened retaliation if its ships are stopped and searched. What will happen if the rogue state refuses our requests? Mullen said the U.S. could “direct it to go into a port, and the country of that port would…inspect the vessel.”

What are our options if North Korea chooses to escalate if its ships are stopped? Mullen didn’t answer the question directly. He reiterated that the U.N. Security Council’s resolution speaks for the international community and its commitment to contain North Korea.

“It’s not just the United States, it’s a lot of other countries as well. And the north’s steps to further isolate itself, to further noncomply with international guidance and regulations, in the long-run, puts them in a more difficult position.”

FOX News reports that the U.S. will send the U.S.S. John McCain to intercept a flagged North Korean ship that may have weapons aboard. The navy destroyer will intercept the Kang Nam when it leaves a location off China’s coast.