Family Life

06.16.09 | FL News Team

The Obama administration appears to be modifying a plan to board ships bound for North Korea suspected of carrying armaments or materials that could be used to create weapons of mass destruction. "The New York Times" is reporting this morning the U.S. Navy is being told to hail and request permission to inspect those ships but, if permission is denied, not to board them by force. Instead, ships will be tracked to their next port where they'll be pressed for inspections. The plan appears to meet the terms of a United Nations Security Council resolution urging "vigorous enforcement" of a blockade but comes up short of the moves North Korea has said would be considered an act of war.

The administration says the U.S. will report any ship that refuses inspection to the Security Council and diplomacy will be the tool used to convince nations allowing vessels into their ports that inspections should be carried out. Ships could also be refused fuel or supplies if they're suspected of carrying arms to the communist North.