[Walkin Man]

...the United States could ring the country with anti-missile destroyers...

Is this a new anti-missile system or wishful thinking?

[knighthawk]

I think the author referes to the Standard missile:

http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/sm2.htm
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/cg-47.htm

[Hugin]

It's not exactly new, and not exactly wishful thinking. We have been working to improve the capabilities of Standard AA missiles to shoot down incoming balistic warheads, and that is part of the ABM system to be deployed by 2004. Shooting down missiles on their upward trajectory would be somewhat easier, but not a slam dunk.

I suspect that this may already be in the works, but quietly. No need to tell the world about it.

Another possibilty is that after we are done in Iraq and have more forces free up in case the NKs launch an attack would be to mine their harbors. Not a full blockade, but it would keep oil out and make it more difficult for them to sell missiles. We could then offer to remove the mines in exchange for an end to thier nuke program.