During a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing this week, U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) questioned intelligence officials on countering threats from North Korean chemical weapons and potential homegrown terrorists in the United States.
In speaking with Director of National Intelligence (DNI) Dan Coats, McCaskill said she was worried about chemical weapons emanating from North Korea.
“We train on chemical weapon defenses at Fort Leonard Wood, and I know that obviously with the proximity of so many millions of people in South Korea and the delivering, especially of VX [nerve agent] could be in such a way that it would be devastating, and I’m wondering if we have enough assets… on the ground as it relates to chemical weapons,” McCaskill said.
In a previous committee hearing on North Korea, the senator discussed countering chemical weapons threats with Adm. Harry B. Harris, who serves as Commander of the United States Pacific Command. The conversation centered around whether the United States had the appropriate capacities and training for chemical and biological threats in light of reports that Kim Jong-Un’s brother was killed with a biological nerve agent.
The senator also questioned each intelligence officer on their progress in outreach to various American Muslim communities to help counter the threat of homegrown terrorists.
“Are we sending enough signals [like those we’re sending abroad] to the American Muslim community?” the senator asked. “… do you all feel comfortable that we’re doing enough to reach out to the American Muslim community, especially for personnel that we can use as maybe our most valuable assets in terms of what you all need to do within the intelligence community?”
McCaskill currently serves as the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee and as a senior member of the Armed Services Committee.