My Take | How Germany and the Philippines paint a target on their backs

For two countries that are supposed to be democratic, it’s extraordinary how something as dangerous as the deployment of offensive US missile systems on their soil has had virtually no public debate.

From almost back-to-back announcements, Germany said it would host US intermediate-range missiles including Tomahawk cruise, SM-6 (Standard Missile-6) and hypersonic missiles – capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads – in its territory for the first time since the Cold War. Russian targets including Moscow can be hit in less than 10 minutes.

Likewise, the Philippines will receive US$500 million in defence aid. The stepped-up cooperation includes – let the drums roll – Tomahawk cruise and SM-6 missiles. Given China’s recent advances in hypersonic weapons, it’s almost certain that their US versions will be deployed as well.

Both sets of arrangements were announced as done deals, with virtually no public debate. It’s a repeat of the Aukus nuclear-powered submarine pact in Australia where the previous Liberal government of Scott Morrison gave less than 24 hours to the then Labor opposition to agree to a UK-US-Australian deal with military, security and budgetary implications for decades to come.

Reading practically from the same script, Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius and Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo both said the US deployments were for deterrence, not offensive purposes.

Of course, one man’s defence is another man’s offence. That’s military science 101. The dangers are not lost on other Germans and Filipinos.

Sarah Wagenknecht, the charismatic ultra-leftist politician, argues that the missile deployment will not improve Germany’s security but the opposite. “On the contrary, it increases the risk that Germany itself will turn into a theatre of war, with horrific consequences for everyone living here,” she told Der Spiegel, the news magazine.