By John W. Lillpop
North Korean wild man Kim Young Il seems intent on making VP Joe Biden into a seer, or person of extraordinary foresight, neither of which apply to the man.
Biden, it will be remembered, predicted a test of President Obama's mettle within six months of the inauguration.
That test seems to be coming to a location near the Hawaiian Islands for the 4th of July. As reported at Myway.com, in part:
"U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday that the military has set up additional defenses around Hawaii, consisting of a ground-based mobile missile system and a radar system nearby. Together they could shoot an incoming missile in mid air.
"Without telegraphing what we will do, I would just say ... we are in a good position, should it become necessary, to protect Americans and American territory," Gates told reporters in Washington. "
"Gates' comments come after Japan's Yomiuri newspaper reported that North Korea might test fire a Taepodong-2 missile with a range of up to 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers), sometime around the U.S. holiday of Independence Day on July 4."
Gates' announcement immediately raises urgent questions about America's national defense:
1. Why is the Secretary of Defense dependent on a Japanese newspaper for critical intelligence information, which could have a direct and dramatic impact on America lives?
Has the Obama administration managed to neuter US intelligence capabilities so completely in just five months?
2. Why the need for setting up "additional defenses" around Hawaii? If the American State of Hawaii is not adequately protected all of the time, why not?
3. In light of North Korea's continued belligerence and that of Iran, why is this president seeking to back away from missile defense systems?
Why not an urgent escalation of Starwars to meet the threats present in the modern world?
Of course, Kim Young Il may simply be mocking President Obama by threatening to fire a missile at the president's home state.
However, who can be sure when dealing with the erratic and dangerous mad man of North Korea?
