Reporting from Washington -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Tuesday ordered the creation of a military command to oversee cyberspace in order to better defend military computer networks as well as pool capabilities for attacking the networks of other countries.

For now, the U.S. Cyber Command will remain a part of the military's Strategic Command, which also oversees the nation's nuclear arsenal. But experts said the move is likely to be a precursor to setting up an independent command.