Hagel reassures Gulf allies U.S. committed to regional security

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By David Alexander MANAMA (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel toured a U.S. warship in the Gulf on Friday and declared Washington's commitment to Middle East security, despite policy differences over Iran and Syria that have angered Gulf allies. His visit to Bahrain, in which he will speak at the Manama Dialogue security conference, comes at a time of regional unease over President Barack Obama's policies - ranging from the cautious U.S. response to Syria's civil war to the six world powers' interim deal with Iran on its nuclear program. The ship he toured, the USS Ponce, part of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, is to be equipped in 2014 with a new laser weapon designed to deter aircraft and missiles as well as attacks by swarms of small boats like those used by Iran, on the opposite side of the Gulf.

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