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The focus of US military efforts in outer space should be … arms control

By Lawrence J. Korb | June 28, 2019

Much of the public debate about space militarization has involved organizational structures: Should the United States create a separate (i.e. sixth) military service, or elevate the mission now carried out by the US Air Force Space Command, making it into another unified combatant command? Proponents of the first idea want to use a Marine Corps model – the Marines are a separate service, even though under the administrative umbrella of the US Navy – while supporters of the second vision support the US Strategic Command (Stratcom) model. But this structural discussion obscures a more important question: How can the United States best protect its interests in outer space without creating a space arms race that could actually jeopardize US long-term economic and national security?

Should the United States create a separate (i.e. sixth) military service, or elevate the mission now carried out by the US Air Force Space Command, making it into another unified combatant command?

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A painted Doomsday Clock surrounded by text snippets and illustrations from the Bulletin’s magazine archives appears beside text that reads, “Discuss the US elections, geopolitics, space, and more at the Bulletin’s annual gathering. On November 12, join 250 attendees and members of Bulletin leadership—including those who set the Doomsday Clock—at our annual gathering in Chicago.” Below it, a button that reads, “Get my ticket.”

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