THE OTHER CRISIS - AT 9:19 P.M. ET:  With our attention focused on Iran, there's a tendency to forget the other crisis underway at sea, as The New York Times reminds us:

SEOUL — A North Korean cargo ship shadowed by a United States Navy destroyer was reportedly steaming toward Myanmar on Sunday, posing what could be the first test of how far the United States and its allies will go under a new United Nations resolution to stop the North’s military shipments.

The United States began tracking the 2,000-ton freighter Kang Nam after it left Nampo, a port near Pyongyang, North Korea, on Wednesday. Pentagon officials have said they suspect the ship of carrying prohibited materials, but have declined to say where it may be headed.

The problem, of course, is that UN resolution.  It has a loophole large enough to sail a freighter through:

The resolution bans North Korean trafficking in a wide range of nuclear and conventional weaponry, and calls upon United Nations members to search North Korean ships, with their consent, if there are “reasonable grounds” to suspect that banned cargo is aboard. If the crew does not accept inspection on high seas, North Korea is required to direct the vessel to a port for inspection by local authorities there.

Another resolution with teeth.  You can see North Korean knees starting to quake.  They don't have to accept boarding at sea, and can direct the ship to the friendliest of ports.  We're certainly making progress.

Let's see if there's any confrontation at all.

June 21, 2009