Koreans close in on Cobra Ball

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This undated photo from the US Air Force shows an RC-135 surveillance aircraft taking off from an undisclosed airfield

WITH ITS diplomatic and military resources focused on a punitive strike against Iraq, Washington appears to be determined to downplay or brush aside any possible clash with North Korea. An incident this week, on 2 March, highlighted America's sheepish stance.

First, North Korea test-fired a long-range missile into the Sea of Japan. Next, it resumed its nuclear reactor at Yongbyon. And in one of the most hazardous aircraft incidents between the United States and North Korea over the Sea of Japan, North Korean fighters threatened a US spy plane which was forced to return to the Kadena Air Base in Japan.

The incident was vaguely reminiscent of the April 2001 midair collision of a Chinese warplane and a US Navy EP-3 spy aircraft, crashing the Chinese fighter and forcing the American surveillance plane to land in Hainan Island, off the southern Chinese coast. The incident also brought back memories of previous hostilities. In April 1969, North Korea shot down a US Navy surveillance plane over the Sea of Japan killing all 31 on board. It is improbable that North Korea will get away with downing a US surveillance aircraft today. Still, so far, Pyongyang seems to have escaped unscathed after daring to threaten US spy planes in or near its airspace.

The two countries are still technically at war. North Korea will not accept a peace treaty with the Americans as long as US troops are stationed in South Korea.

The escalating tensions in northeast Asia mean that Washington could be dragged deeper into an open conflict with North Korea. So far, Washington has assiduously avoided any knee-jerk response to the Korean crisis.

It appears that when it comes to nuclear crises, Washington displays its characteristic double-standards. The hawkish US stance on Iraq sharply contrasts with the more complaisant attitude towards North Korea.

Designed to monitor Soviet missile launchers in the Kamchatka Peninsula, in the Russian Far East, the Cobra Ball has now been deployed to monitor Korean missiles instead. A variant of the RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft, the US Air Force possesses only three Cobra Balls. The Cold War model has been upgraded and outfitted with technology and sensors that enable it to track shorter-range theatre missiles as well as strategic long-range missiles.