Secretary of War Pete Hegseth deserves praise for his agreement with German defense minister Boris Pistorius to bolster the production of key munitions.
The deal will see Germany ramp up production of Patriot interceptor munitions, which have predictably been heavily depleted by the war in Iran and transfers to Ukraine. Germany may also produce more Tomahawk cruise missiles. This is very good news. Alongside THAAD anti-ballistic missile interceptors, Patriot munitions would be critical in any future war with Russia or China. The latter is a particular concern vis-a-vis China, whose People’s Liberation Army has been ordered by President Xi Jinping to be ready to conquer Taiwan by 2027. China’s seizure of Taiwan would be catastrophic for U.S. prosperity and security.
