WASHINGTON – During the Easter recess break, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., traveled to the Middle East and Europe for top level meetings to assess terrorism and nuclear threats within the Middle East and to explore nuclear modernization and counterterrorism efforts in Western Europe.  As part of a congressional delegation, Sen. Wicker met with the Vice President of Yemen, CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus, NATO leaders, and other senior U.S. military and embassy officials. 

In Qatar, the lawmakers met with U.S. Embassy officials and visited CENTCOM’s headquarters in Doha.   CENTCOM Commander General David Petraeus briefed the delegation via teleconference, discussing future nuclear threats and counterterrorism efforts in the region.  The lawmakers also met with U.S. troops at Al-Udeid Air Base, where approximately 10,000 American service men and women are presently stationed.

The delegation next traveled to Yemen to meet with Yemini Vice President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi and U.S. military and embassy officials to discuss combating Al-Qaeda threats in the Arabian Peninsula and ongoing efforts in the Global War on Terror.

For the remainder of the trip, the lawmakers conducted official visits with leaders of allied NATO nations focusing on nuclear proliferation and modernization, the spread of radical Islam in Western Europe, and counterterrorism efforts.

The bipartisan, bicameral delegation was led by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. Other members included Sens. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, as well as Reps. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, and Jane Harman, D-Calif..

Wicker is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

###