US Missiles in Philippines: 'Defensive' for Whom, Exactly?
Newsweek trumpets the deployment of US mid-range missiles in the Philippines, noting they can 'reach China.' This isn't just about strategic posturing; it's about the US positioning offensive weapons on another nation's soil, transforming a sovereign country into a potential frontline against a nuclear power. The military-industrial complex loves to call this 'deterrence.' Let's be clear: this is
aggressive encirclement, a move China has explicitly warned against as escalation, not de-escalation. This isn't a new strategy; it's a replay of Cold War brinkmanship, now pushed into Southeast Asia. The Philippines, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., has significantly deepened military cooperation with the US, including expanding the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) to four new
sites in 2023. Critics in the Philippines, like Walden Bello, argue this risks turning their nation into a pawn in a US-China conflict, making them a primary target. It appears 'defending democracy' often looks a lot like preparing for war on someone else's turf, with little regard for the local consequences. One might wonder, how many times does Washington need to 'defend' its allies into
regional flashpoints?