Haney speaks on countering WMDs at conference

At the 14th Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Global Synchronization Conference on March 1, U.S. Navy Adm. Cecil D. Haney, U.S. Strategic Command commander, spoke about the importance of cooperation and innovation in the fight against weapons of mass destruction.

“To ensure the United States, its allies, and partners are neither attacked or coerced with WMD or materials of concern, it is imperative that we continue to enhance our capabilities, coalitions and situational awareness to counter WMD using a whole of government approach,” Haney said. “We will all accomplish more through our collaborative efforts.”

Haney also addressed the complex difficulties in countering WMDs.

“We have contemplated unthinkable scenarios,” Haney said. “And while they may not play out exactly as exercised, each scenario stretches our intellectual bounds and our critical thinking.”

The conference also hosted the fourth senior leader tabletop exercise, as well as leaders from multiple arms of the Department of Defense (DoD). The DoD leaders discussed interagency cooperation as well as other international bodies or organizations.

“Today’s strategic landscape is complex, which is why expanding partnerships to counter WMD globally is so foundational to our strategy,” Haney said.

The event was hosted by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency/USSTRATCOM Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction.