The Games of the 22nd Winter Olympiad are set to begin on February 7 in Sochi, Russia. As the date draws near, officials are beginning to voice their concerns that the games are not safe and that athletes may be put at risk.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin has promised that the games will go off safely and without a hitch, the U.S. State Department is not quite convinced.
U.S. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, currently in Moscow, told ABC's "This Week" that cooperation with the Russians on security "could be a lot better." He said he was concerned about evacuation and emergency response plans from Sochi if something did happen there.
McCaul, who is also a Republican, said he would be meeting this week with the Russian government's "command and control of operations" in Sochi to assess the situation.
Concerns about the safety of the games are not unfounded. A suicide blast last month in Volograd killed 34 people, and Islamic militants in the region have threatened a "surprise package" awaiting those who attend the games.
Sen. Angus King (I-ME) was very blunt about his concerns, saying that he would not attend the games nor would he let any of his family members attend.