U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates says Washington will not attempt to stop North Korea from going ahead with its planned missile launch.

Gates told Fox News Sunday that the North is likely to launch a rocket soon and that the U.S. is not prepared to do anything about it.

Gates said if there was an aberrant missile, one that looked like it was headed for Hawaii, the U.S. might consider making preparations, but that no such plans are necessary at this point.

Gates also said he’s skeptical about whether the North currently has the ability to load warheads onto its missiles, though acquiring such a capability might be Pyongyang’s ultimate goal.

Gates said if launching a missile and threatening to have a nuclear test is Kim Jong-il's welcoming present to a new U.S. president, then the move says a lot about the imperviousness of the North Korean regime to any kind of diplomatic overtures.