Scuds

Fifteen scud missiles and eighty-five drums of chemicals were found under 40,000 sacks of cement on a North Korean ship flying no flag. The Yemeni government - a US ally - protests that the scuds were for them. And the chemicals, too? It's iffy business, but Yemen isn't a stable enough ally to want them developing chemical weapons. Scuds, fine - they deserve self-defense capability. One good thing is that the Spanish are in this with us, so Europe can't get all high horsed about it. According to the NYTimes, the Spanish warship Navarra 'signaled for the cargo ship to halt but it "did not cooperate," one Pentagon official said. "It took evasive maneuvers. It tried by all means to avoid inspection."'

And, 'Pentagon officials said the Spanish warships had full legal rights to stop the ship because it was not flying a flag and its official markings were covered by paint. "It appeared as a lawless, stateless vessel," one official said.' Hmm, doesn't look like an entirely above-board government to government transaction. Yemen would be advised to buy its weapons from a more reputable source if it wants to continue to get serious U.S. support.