We'll spend untold millions blocking the waterways while Chinese accept increased bribe rates to pass trains of prohibited goods over the NK border. All the while the US military will monitor the trains on satellite, and US politicians will proclaim the cargo inspection program a success. Meanwhile corrupt Chinese intelligence and military leaders are getting rich, and the people of N. Korea starve. Abd this scenario is if the Republicans DO maintain control of Congress.
I suspect if the Dems take either chamber that after the next NK instigation the Japanese will change their Constitution seeing the US go all soft and stupid under split party control.
The US and Tokyo could do this more simply. Just sink the danged things. No need to inspect, just sink them if they show their noses out of their hell-frozen ports.
You know there will be some shooting from these ships being stopped on the high seas. May make for some interesting confrontations.
This last time this was attempted, in the Sea of Japan, there was a horrendous gun battle between the two sides. Just several years ago.
The Japanese Self Defense forces eventually sank the ship.
It was raised from the bottom of the ocean (the DPRK denied it even had such a ship there and sunk), and all the espionage materials were taken out of it and put in display in Tokyo--along with the hull of the ship, for thousands of Japanese to see. It was more popular than Tokyo Disneyland for a few weeks.
Folks, get ready for fireworks.
If your dad or grandad or uncle can't stand the 'japs', because of the "Big One", they better get used to being comrades in arms with Japan and perhaps even suffering casulties together.