The Pentagon isn't waiting for Congress to start building Trump's Space Force
President Trump's enthusiastic calls for the U.S. to launch some sort of military Space Force got a mixed response in Congress and the Pentagon, but the Defense Department will give him much of what he wants by the end of 2018, with or without Congress, Defense One reported Monday. The Space Force plan, drawn up largely by Deputy Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and to be presented to lawmakers Wednesday, does envision creating an 11th unified combatant command, the four-star U.S. Space Command, similar to the command overseeing special forces, but mostly the draft proposal deals with buying and launching satellites — more Death Star than Storm Troopers. Defense One explains:
The biggest loser in the draft plan is the Air Force, especially the Air Force Space Command and its Space and Missile Systems Center. "Air Force officials were largely cut out of the review process several weeks ago," Defense One reports, citing two unidentified officials. You can read more about the Space Force plan at Defense One.
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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
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