Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen has announced the establishment of the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office.
The CWMD Office will elevate and streamline DHS efforts to prevent terrorists and other national security threat actors from using harmful agents, such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear material and devices to harm Americans and U.S. interests.
The office consolidates key DHS functions and will lead the Department’s efforts to counter Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) threats.
It will also allow for greater policy coordination and strategic planning, as well as provide greater visibility for this critically important mission.
“The United States faces rising danger from terrorist groups and rogue nation states who could use chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents to harm Americans,” said Secretary Nielsen.
“That’s why DHS is moving towards a more integrated approach, bringing together intelligence, operations, interagency engagement, and international action.”
“As terrorism evolves, we must stay ahead of the enemy and the establishment of this office is an important part of our efforts to do so.”
The United States faces a rising danger from threat actors who could use chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents to harm Americans or U.S. interests.
Intelligence analysis shows terrorist groups are actively pursuing WMD capabilities, are using battlefield environments to test them, and may be working to incorporate these methods into external operations in ways we have not seen previously.
(Weapons of mass destruction, (nuclear, biological and chemical), have plagued the human race since their invention, and they still pose a threat today. Terror attacks and accidents have spread panic in multiple countries over recent decades. But there are signs that increased vigilance and cooperation can help create a safer world. Courtesy of the United Nations and YouTube. Posted on Oct 31, 2014)
Certain weapons of mass destruction, once viewed as out-of-reach for all but nation states, are now closer to being attained by non-state actors.
A terrorist attack using such a weapon against the United States would have a profound and potentially catastrophic impact on our nation and the world.
(Learn More. Hosted by Benari Poulten, a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve and veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. With the ability to create destruction on a massive scale, they are some of the most feared weapons in the world. This is Five Things You Don’t Know About WMDs. Courtesy of Military .com and YouTube. Posted on Nov 24, 2015)
The CWMD Office will be led by Mr. James McDonnell, who was appointed by President Trump in June 2017 to serve as the Director of the DHS Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO).
Next week, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke will deliver remarks regarding the CWMD Office at The Hudson Institute.
The Future of Combating Terrorism and Countering the Use of WMD: A Conversation with Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Elaine Duke
On the afternoon of December 13, Hudson Institute will host Elaine Duke, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Deputy Secretary Duke will deliver remarks about the Department’s current and future contributions to combating terrorism, including the prevention of the use of weapons of mass destruction and the creation of the Department’s new Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (CWMD) Office.
of Hudson Institute Political Studies
Following her remarks, she will participate in a moderated discussion with her colleague Jim McDonnell, who will lead the new CWMD Office, and John Walters, Chief Operation Officer of Hudson institute.
This event will be live streamed on Hudson’s homepage.
Hudson Institute would like to thank the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for supporting these nuclear nonproliferation and security dialogues.
To follow their work, please visit https://againstnuclearterror.wordpress.com.
Speakers
- Deputy Secretary Elaine Duke, Speaker
- Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- John P. Walters, Moderator
- Chief Operating Officer, Hudson Institute
- Jim McDonnell, Speaker
- Acting Assistant Secretary for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
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