U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill today used a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing to discuss with Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter U.S. efforts to combat the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and the serious refugee crisis in neighboring Jordan, which she recently visited. “I had an opportunity to be in Jordan a few weeks ago and visited with both our military—our terrific military leaders there—and also with the Jordanian military, said McCaskill, a senior member of the Armed Services Committee. “I am worried about the 15,000 people along that border that are now sitting there because they’re not being allowed to come in to Jordan. As you all focus on northern Syria, I’m wondering what if anything you can tell me about the drifting of [the Islamic State] to the southern region along this border where we now have 15,000 people just on the other side of the border from Jordan. Secretary of Defense Carter responded, “First of all, thanks for going there and seeing our guys and gals, and our fantastic partners in the Jordanians. And you’re right, on a per capita basis [Jordan] has absorbed this enormous refugee situation and yes, we were talking a lot about the northern parts of Iraq and Syria, but we’re very mindful of both southern Iraq and southern Syria.”