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Pentagon touts Space Command as boon to Middle East role

The Donald Trump administration's launch of a Pentagon command to defend US space orbiting satellites could give Middle East commanders a boost in protecting their eyes and ears on the battlefield.
U.S. President Donald Trump stands behind a U.S. Space Command flag with Vice President Mike Pence and Defense Secretary Mark Esper at an event to officially launch the United States Space Command in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 29, 2019. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1E707D9440

The Donald Trump administration officially rolled out the United States Space Command on Thursday, touting the new Pentagon organization as an opening to defend American satellites the military relies on to fight in the Middle East.

Defense Department officials said the newly formed command will give the Pentagon a greater capability to protect US intelligence satellites that the military relies on to target the Islamic State (IS) with precision-guided bombs and to spy on Iranian maneuvers in the Arabian Gulf.

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