The Society of Honor by Joe America

Analysis and Opinion

By JoeAm

I had an interesting crossing of tweets with Ambassador Locsin a few days ago in which he suggested the US give the Philippines some Patriot missile defense systems as they are giving to Ukraine. Well, I agreed, but figured that, since there are no incoming missiles here, the likelihood is zero that it would happen.

Then I thought about it some more and changed my mind.

It COULD happen if the US (and Europe) thought about it and saw the Philippines as as important to Asian security as Ukraine is to Europe. And got AHEAD of the conflict.

Let’s be blunt here. Given the same objective, which is better for US interests? American servicemen in the Philippines being shot at or Filipino servicemen, well-armed and trained, being shot at?

I’m proposing an ‘applied mercenary model’ in which the mercenary nations, Ukraine or the Philippines, and the US share the same goals but accept different risks, and different investments. The Ukraine and Philippine investment is labor, the US investment, equipment.

This would end the awkward and intractable debate in the Philippines about US bases here. There would be none. There would be American trainers on Philippine bases helping the Philippines field one of the strongest, best-equipped military forces in Asia.

I mean, really, is the Philippines ever going to turn against the US? Is she ever going to align militarily with China? No, but she does stand a good chance of being helpless fodder for destruction by warring great nations if she doesn’t get armed up. And a Philippine loss would be like Ukraine losing. Devastating to US and European interests in Asia.

My view is that it is better for the Philippines to learn from Ukraine. And for the US to learn, too.

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Cover photo: Patriot missile defence system is seen at Sliac Airport, in Sliac, near Zvolen, Slovakia, May 6, 2022. REUTERS/Radovan Stoklasa