What Missile Shield?

We'll bet the citizens of Hawaii feel so much safer today knowing that the Obama Administration is declining to fund research in to ballistic missile defense:

• North Korea may launch a long-range ballistic missile towards Hawaii on American Independence Day, according to Japanese intelligence officials.

  The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles, would be launched in early July from the Dongchang-ni site on the north-western coast of the secretive country.

  Intelligence analysts do not believe the device would be capable of hitting Hawaii's main islands, which are 4,500 miles from North Korea.

"Not capable yet" should be the quote. But every launch brings new data to increase range and function of the missile systems. The Pentagon is worried:

• Gates, speaking at the same news conference, said the Pentagon is concerned about the possibility of a North Korean missile launch "in the direction of Hawaii."

  Gates told reporters at the Pentagon he has sent the military's ground-based mobile missile system to Hawaii, and positioned a radar system nearby. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in their last stage of flight.

Seems that a number of challenges are being tossed our way. But since the US has already telegraphed a non-response, we don't see any of this boding well for US influence.