Just remembered the title of a Frank Zappa song The torture never stops.
1
Gina Haspel is a patriot who got protected this country when faced with a determined enemy who would stop at nothing. She is highly respected within the agency. I hope she is confirmed as the first female director of CIA.
4
Do you ever wonder why people have given up watching or reading the news? This world is deplorable. When God's time arrives to call to account the actions of humans I do not envy those who have agreed to or participated in torture. I am going for a walk in nature to try and block out these terrible stories. I cannot believe I live in this world.
3
An excellent choice for Director of the CIA; an excellent choice. Thank you, President Trump. Thank you.
3
Not everyone buckled under the pressure of 9/11 to engage in deplorable acts. Alberto Mora, then General Counsel of the Navy fought against coercive and inhumane interrogation. Ms. Haspel, on the other hand, went along. No profile in courage there. She may be bright, a fine officer in other regards, but when the pressure was on, she went along. https://www.humanrightsfirst.org/biography/alberto-mora
4
Perfect President Trump CIA director: apparently will do anything she is ordered to do without moral scruple or regard to international law.
If Nixon had more people like her around him, he may not have been forced to resign. How far we have come.
President Trump is finally draining the swamp of anyone with the least vestige of moral scruple and getting down to running the country like Trump College, like Trump Casinos, like his supporters expect the country to be run.
President Trump is doing exactly what he said he would do.
His supporters should be proud.
4
Who said women weren't as tough as men? Gina looks like she barely knows how to smile in the photograph. I disagree with those who say hundreds took part in the program, or that the administration ordered her to do it, as a justification of weird and sadistic torture practices. John McCain is most certainly right that the period in question was a terribly dark period in US history (as is the period we're in right now).
What many people don't know is that the torture is only part of a series of US moves during Bush's administration (including the criminal invasion of Iraq and getting overly involved in the politics of Soviet satellites) that infuriated Russia and is part of the reason we received blowback in the form of Russia's intervention in our election, among other things.
"Who said women weren't as tough as men?" Tough?
Tough to bind and shackle someone, render them incapable of moving and then torture them. Sounds like the complete opposite of tough, and worse.
1
Ms. Haspel is praised by Trump because "he knows her well." This is laughable from one who doesn't even read his daily briefings including those from the intelligence community. Where did they last speak? A clandestine meeting at Mar-A-Lago where he got to know her but not her sordid background? Don knows he can get extra points and press because she is a woman and will go down in CIA history for that reason.
Trump does know another woman far better that Ms. Haspel -- Stephanie Gregory Clifford. Mr. President, do not deflect the news away from Stormy to give yourself credit for Ms. Haspel whose appointment is most likely to be confirmed by the Republican deniers of the Geneva Convention. You can rest assured that Gina will not turn on you, be a loyal sycophant and fulfill your campaign promise to your base.
3
Dems must resist grandstanding and piling on during nomination hearings or risk blowing midterm elections which are looking extremely favorable. The timing of this is suspect and meant to illicit the worst at the hearings, it's a setup, don't fall for it.
McCain can speak for all !
2
It’s so easy to forget the climate immediately after 9/11 and impose harsh judgment on actions taken then to defend the nation. Much of this is liberal politics going after the Bush Administration.
5
Ms. Haspel is an international war criminal who would be standing trial for her life in the Hague if the United States had the decency and courage to investigate and prosecute the Bush Administration.
We didn't impeach Nixon for Watergate so we got Reagan, even worse. We didn't impeach Reagan for Iran-Contra (and more) so we got George W. Bush, infinitely worse. We didn't prosecute and imprison Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc. so we got Donald Trump. And that's the end, folks.
3
If President Obama and Eric Holder had had the guts and integrity to fire, arrest and prosecute those who directed torture and participated in it maybe I could feel some outrage about Haspel's possible ascension to directorship of the CIA.
But Obama chose the path of least resistance. So how can we get upset with Haspel now? The time for that is over. It's not as if Trump picked this woman off the street to be head of the CIA. Obama knew everything she did and did nothing. Ho-hum.
2
Blame Obama for everything: he was a closet Muslim born in Kenya. Or someplace over ther where black Muslims come from? MAGA = Mueller Ain't Going Away.
1
Trust Trump to nominate a past torturer to head the CIA.
So, which is it to be, America? Do we trivialize the illegal and immoral practice of torture institutionalized and participated in by Gina Haspel, or do we repudiate torture, and say never again?
The world is watching. The victims of torture are watching. Today's torturers and would-be torturers are watching. America's children are watching.
Do the right thing, America. Do the humane, the moral, the responsibe thing.
Reject Gina Haspel's nomination and reiterate our utter rejection of the practice of torture.
3
It would be much easier if all the CIA had to do was act the good cop and offer these terrorists a pack of cigarettes and a cup of tea to get them to talk but that method often does not work when dealing with religious fanatics who only seek to destroy us.
So what is the alternative when time is of the essence and you are dealing with known terrorists who have valuable information that could be used to save the lives of innocents? You bring in the bad cop. Now this bad cop has consulted with the legal experts to confirm what is allowed and what is not and you let them work within those parameters which is exactly what was done. Those who operated outside of those parameters were punished.
Although the methods of enhanced interrogation may be distasteful to many, myself included, I'm more concerned with the results that work to ensure the safety and well being of my fellow citizens than I am with a known terrorist experiencing some pain and discomfort. Enhanced interrogation has not always worked but in those instances where it did, we can be thankful for the lives saved.
It is a dirty job but someone has to do it so why not Ms. Haspel?
2
Thank you Gina Haspel, for doing your job and keeping this country safe under difficult circumstances. Ignore the NYT crowd who could not say Islamic Terrorism if their life depended on it.
3
Can you say torture? Can you say Abuse children? Can you say you are an American who believes in our system of government fully and without reservation? The GOP has not been American or law abiding since Nixon at least.
I thought not.
4
How is torturing people keeping the country safe?
More like it's taking the country back to the cruelty and sadism of the dark ages.
Not a safe place to be for anyone.
3
Basic human decency would prohibit such behavior, let alone the elevation of it. This is a pattern with trump and his supporters that only the willfully blind cannot see. They have abandoned human decency - they are subhuman. It is a hard word, but it is true.
The Nazis misused the word 'subhuman', not realizing that it was they who were subhumans. Subhumans self-select; they come from every class and race and sex. Subhumans chose to be subhuman; they have to first be taught human decency and then reject it to fall so low. Subhumans are known by their behavior, not by any physical trait or even their inner personal thoughts. And subhumans almost never rebuild their human decency; they only sink further.
Your options are to live as a subject of the subhumans, kill the subhumans, or get away from them. I would suggest doing the last.
#calexit.
1
Rand Paul announced he was opposed to Haspel
"My opposition to her is over her direct participation in interrogation and her gleeful enjoyment of someone being tortured."
Thank you Senator Paul
Someone needs to stand up and be counted.
7
And lets hear more from torture victim John McCain too.
1
I am thankful I have never yet been put into the position of having to follow direct (and at the time considered legally acceptable) orders that I personally find reprehensible. How many of us have had to make such choices?
1
In the army we learned that torture doesn't work and that the best way to keep our soldiers, held by the enemy, from being tortured is to refrain from using on the soldiers we held. It is wrong morally and serves no useful purpose.
5
This woman was in place during the Obama administration and there were no protests then. Now, a woman is poised to be the first to head the CIA and now the sanctimonious protest. The business is dirty by nature and this country needs to respond to our enemies and do whatever it takes to defend the US. It so happens that enhanced interrogation was endorsed from the top. It was not her idea. Anyway, she receives high praise even from Obama's people. We do not have time to dither with the Korea talks coming and Russia, Iran, China, and Islamic extremists ready to take the US apart. She needs to be confirmed posthaste and the pontificating by congress needs to take a step back.
1
There was protest for years as Obama refused to prosecute the CIA officials, including this one, who participated in Torture during the Bush administration. Even Republican-lite Senator Feinstein intervened to block a promotion of Ms. Haspel precisely because of her involvement with torture.
2
Ah! But she may smile and smile and be a villaness. Let us see to it that equality means men and women, white and black, Christian and Buddhist and Muslim atheists -- all may have an equal shot at leading if they are honest and committed to our nation's pledge and promise of equality.
But do not allow Trump to bring nothing but greed and lust for power to our nation. Yes, Donald your end has come. Jefferson and Washington and Lincoln and Roosevelt and Obama. These are honest men and they should be our standards once again.
1
1919, Japan gave US 3000 cherry trees, now at our National Mall.
1920, US having fallen in love with this Trojan horse, Japan started building its US spy network with a goal of invasion.
1937 the trial of spy John Semer Farnsworth, he being the pride of Japanese Navy. What happened to him? He got put in jail where he was well fed, well clothes, received free housing. If the consequences for spies are so benign while the rewards so attractive, can it be any wonder US is experiences constant spy attack for the last 100 years? Next time your run the DC Cherry Blossom Marathon, remember the meaning of the gift from Japan.
2
From the article: Gina Haspel assumed authority over the Thailand prison in "late October 2002 after the harsh interrogation of Mr. Zubaydah," the new prisoner Mr. Nashiri arrived in "mid-November," and "the prison closed in early December 2002." So she appears to have had no specific connection with Mr. Zubaydah's torture, was in charge of the prison for 6 or 7 weeks, including 3 or so during which Mr. Nashiri was tortured, and ultimately oversaw the prison closing. That is not good, but hardly establishes Ms. Haspel as the monster so many seem to think. Given the timing, it is plausible that she was assigned to the prison for the purpose of closing it.
There probably is considerably more merit in probing into Ms. Haspel's part in destruction of A-V records of the " enhanced interrogations."
1
A unabashed torture advocate, now that is truly a “nasty woman”.
4
Haspel was involved with torture and also with the destruction of the tapes of waterboarding. She needs to explain how and why she was involved, to what extent, and why she feels that torture is acceptable, when clearly it isn't. She should have been prosecuted for this, not promoted within the CIA.
Trump clearly loves people who identify with everything that is, at its core, inhumane, disgraceful and ultimately unlawful. Just like he is.
Given that that what Haspel condoned and perpetrated was unlawful and against the Geneva Convention shows disrespect for law and humankind. Perfect for trump and I'm sure she will pass through the hearings unscathed just like the moronic de Vos.
1
I have the highest respect for President Obama and his character, judgment, and management of the US government, but the failure to provide accountability for the war crimes of the Bush II era was a mistake - one that we eventually would have to deal with. And so with this nominee, we need to have the conversation we didnt have in 2009, and we need to come to terms with the egregious errors and crimes that occurred in our names. No one who engaged in torture, war crimes, or "extraordinary rendition" (or whatever Fox news wants to call it) should have any role in our national security apparatus, period!
4
I have a son serving in Afghanistan. When I see ISIS release a video of an Egyptian pilot placed in a shark tank, dosed with gasoline, then lit on fire, it makes me want to vomit that my son's Commander In Chief is an imbecile.
The Geneva Convention does not say, "When they go low, we go lower."
4
This is reminiscent of the nomination of Bork to the Supreme Court. It is an offensive move in which a flawed nominee who participated in an illegal operation that was condemned by the opposition party is presented as a wholesome Republican candidate. Then, when the Democrats rightly call attention to the flawed history of the nominee and refuse to give their consent, the Republicans ignore the sound arguments for rejecting the candidate and claim that the Democrats are being outrageous to remember the sordid past and insist that it still matters.
1
It is now the sworn duty of Congress to reject the confirmation of this woman and her approval of torture. Anything less is simply unacceptable, and un-American.
1
Your headline is inaccurate and misleading.
Please delete the words 'played role' in torture program and substitute 'directed'.
She was known amongst her CIA brethren as "Bloody Gina". According to some ex-CIA, she reveled in torturing subjects, personally overseeing their waterboarding.
Played role?
NOT my president
1
Torture suspects = getting a promotion. What a Country.
Gina Haspel is an ugly choice for dog Catcher much less high office in our government. Just another gross despicable error on the part of our deranged president.
1
How does this Haspel woman live with herself? God help her!
She should replace Kelly.
During World War II, United States Army recruited German expatriates, usually young Jewish men who had been sent or smuggled out of Germany by their families, when it became evident that Hitler was going to destroy the Jews in Germany. These young men became naturalized citizens and were placed in special units throughout the Army when it invaded Europe. They were under strict orders to never touch a prisoner. They were to interrogate using specific methods, but those methods never involved physical pain or torture of any kind. Those were their orders and they obeyed them strictly. By all accounts, their efforts were tremendously successful and they provided a source of intelligence that was invaluable to the Allies as they marched across Europe. It was a lesson learned, but unlearned during the Bush Administration, when those ignorant of History decide to repeat the worst parts of it. It's hard to see whether we are the good guys or the bad guys when it comes to things such as this. John McCain is correct, we have sullied our national reputation, and this appointee should be grilled extensively about torture. She must be forced to admit that it will not be employed by the CIA or it's surrogates in any way or she should be rejected as head of the CIA.
1
Does torture work? Then use it. Being politically correct in times of national threats is fool’s play.
3
Can you guys ever do your homework and report correctly instead of the slanted version...She was one of HUNDREDS who took part in this program that had the backing of the administration. So stop with the soap box reporting. She is universally respected and liked among the CIA rank and file and is seen as a great appointment.
5
So where do YOU begin to draw the line????
2
The other hundreds are not being nominated for this position. And as we’ve seen here, millions of people can be wrong about something.
2
What else would you expect from someone as insecure as trump? Torture, lies, abuse, insanity, etc...Trump tortures the World daily and we cannot think anything good can come from his cesspool White House!
Lets start with the fact that Ms Haspel is a War Criminal.
"Legal Guidance" is the new "I was just following orders"
When you are in service to the US government you have a duty to not follow illegal orders. You have a duty to recognize that illegal order even when you are told it has been OK'd by X persons in authority. It is not difficult to do this, that is why it is your duty.
We used to teach all of our soldiers this in basic training. We also used to know that torture does not work. If you are tough you know you will not talk. If you are not tough you know you will say anything to make it stop. Once you realize this you realize it is pointless, you either get nothing or you get something you cannot trust. From the term "enhanced interrogation" to the very acts they chose to do the W admins evil efforts mirror exactly what the nazi Germans did. There is a very good article in The Atlantic , 5-29-07 Titled "Verschärfte Vernehmung" It is German for "enhanced interrogation". BTW that Nazi's best interrogators were of the mind that it did not work. Being kind, respectful and chummy giving food cigarettes and comfort worked much better.
There was nothing about the "enhanced interrogation" we have been told about that was difficult to see as the illegal thing it was. Water Boarding was/is actually explicitly illegal.
Add to that Ms. Haspel is also responsible for destroying the documentary proof of that torture. Of course she was only following orders.
9
What a black-eye for America: an admitted torturer and water-boarder is appointed to lead the CIA. That choice says a lot more about Trump and the USA than about Haspel. Unfortunately...........I wonder when the word "justice" disappeared from our constitution?????? Even if someone finds it, it will have lost its meaning.
2
Pres. Obama's CIA head supports her as do many democrats.
6
none of that is a positive if you think about it.
Look at it this way. What if she was a pedophile and she had that support. Would it matter that she is a pedo? Well she is a War Criminal and it matters!
BTW The Bush Torture program did torture and abuse children but I digress.
2
So, she was in charge of the Concentration Camps that tortured. Where is the "Never Again!" crowd?
5
Despite his puffery, Trump has chosen a number of losers for important positions of authority. This appears to be another one. The Senate needs to watch this clown more closely.
2
Beware - Trump's Trolls are out in force.
2
Another vile person to add to Donald's cesspool! I do not care if se is a woman....the fact that she is okay with TORTURE is ......deplorable!
3
If the U.S. Senate has any integrity they'll reject Glasper's nomination.
4
She has shown an ability to both disregard and violate the law, she should fix right in with this administration.
1
This woman Trump has chosen is inappropriate to any office in the American government. She is despicable, evil. He should know better but then he is incapable of worthy decisions.
4
Leave it to the NYT to spin this as a knock on anything Trump. Who told Adam Goldman to write this story with this angle. Stupid!
I also hear that Haspel had a soft drink of more than 12 oz, which, if I recall from visiting the Big Apple, is against the law!! How dare she!
Rumor has it that she also regularly goes to church, another Democrat no-no.
Your reportage is not reportage anymore, not "news", all opinion, and it leans severely to the port side.
5
This may come as the old double whammy, but a) Trump nominated her for CIA head, and b) supervising torture is a little more serious than the Giant Sugar Bombs that help Americans on to diabetes, heart disease, and higher and higher insurance premiums.
By the way,mI have a question: how come none of the "ot's not torture/they should be tortured" crowd never seems to have been in the military,mlet alone right in there dong the torture themselves? What's with the armchair torturers?
1
Gina Haspel will get her own torture working for trump.
1
I don’t care what anyone says, she committed war crimes and she should not be the director! I am a retired Army Officer and enhanced interrogation or what ever they called it, it was torture and has done more harm to America’s reputation around the world and has created more terrorist than anything we have done. We are the guys and gals who are suppose to live by honor and integrity and wear the white hat in the World but never again can we claim those values!
5
Well, although my fellow liberal friends would not be happy with my thinking, I think that she will be pretty good for the job. A 30 year veteran of the CIA. An insider who I would guess would be welcomed by CIA employees. Hey, it's the CIA. Of course they torture people. Of course they have eliminated people. etc. That's what we have them for. To do the dirty work when necessary. And after 9/11 a lot of dirty work was necessary or seemed to be at the time. I hope she gets confirmed. At least she is qualified as opposed to almost no one else in Trumps administration.
3
Great; we may have a proven and self-admitted war criminal in charge of your "intelligence" agency.
What could go wrong?!?!
4
The Queen of Torture heading the CIA? What's next, the Secret Police?
3
Hard to imagine this slight woman in her flowery blouses and pastel colored suits was responsible for some of the grossest lapses of American values as well as the implementation of the most barbaric interrogative practices done by Americans in a long, long time.
The news came out soon after I had read the obituary for Oskar Groning, the "bookkeeper" of Auschwitz. No doubt Gina didn't actually carry through the physical acts of the torture she ordered but I can't help but see the same kind of indirect complicity in a monstrous crime that Groning was convicted of. She should have known better and should have recused herself from anything to do with the program. Instead, it appears she took a leading role in it.
I can't imagine the mind of a woman, especially, who would willingly take part in these violent acts. When a woman sanctions physical violence against defenseless (even though they might be enemies) prisoners, it reveals a pathology, a turning away from morality and decency, far greater than that of a man in a similar situation. It's abhorrent.
1
Haspel is basically a torturer, hence a criminal.
However, I feel that Democrats are ready to support a criminal, especially Sen Feinstein.
2
This women, as anyone, is a criminal for supporting torture. There is now way that she should be confirmed. Let's see if the Republicans have the guts to disregard Trump, if not we are in bigger trouble as a country as we realize. The dictatorship will flourish under Trump.
Remember, she has an old, and admired defense. She was "ONLY FOLLOWING ORDERS"
2
I guess the Left's first choice, Mr. Rodgers, wasn't available to lead the CIA.
4
rex has only poisoned people from the boardroom..trump wants someone with more hands on experience
1
Interrogators would get only what they expect to hear from the subject because he just wants to stop all that suffering. Eventually the information would result groundless, hence useless. At this point torture can't be seen differently from a barbaric revenge. I hope Ms. Haspel would realize that the goal is to obtain valuable information not public condemnation.
Interesting that what little debate there is about Haspel is about whether or not she will get confirmed as CIA Director, and not about whether she will get indicted or tried for torture and destruction of evidence.
It doesn't matter if Ms. Haspel has learned lessons or regrets overseeing torture after Sept. 11 and destroying the evidence of it. These actions showed that, in attempting to defend U.S. values, the U.S. didn't honor or believe in those values itself.
The United States is not just a country, it is an idea. Its important inspirational role around the world was harmed by those previous actions and attitudes, which is why there was a such thunderous global applause when Barack Obama was elected. The dream had been revived.
If the CIA were headed by someone who participated in those nightmarish actions, the light of hope would again be dimmer.
Whatever her skills, having her as the face of this important agency would send the wrong message. Having her name withdrawn—with an announcement reasserting our founding values—would send the right one.
1
Since Gina Haspel was not President nor Vice President, nor Secretary of State/Defense, nor Attorney General, nor CIA /FBI Director nor National Security Adviser she should be treated no better nor worse than those who were while torture was going on behalf of the American people and in the name of their Constitution.
1
If KSM had not been water boarded, we would not have killed OBL.
So the new head of the Central Intelligence Agency is so dumb she had to waterboard Zubaydah eighty-three times in thirty days to find out he didn't know anything. Good work.
1
Her name is GINA, how bad of a torturer could she be?
This is another step in Donald Trump's program to turn the United States into the resurrection of the Third Reich, with him as Führer.
This is what you get from reading Hitler's speeches at bedtime, as his first ex-wife stated in Vanity Fair over 25 years ago, and which Trump NEVER denied.
1
Americans decry holocaust abuses carried out by nazis who were just following orders .... then elevate Gina Haspel to CIA leadership .... a person who was also just following orders to torture prisoners in secret prisons.
Does this leader and his actions seems vaguely familiar or what.
No.
The rank stink of the clandestine CIA torture program
still emirates from the dust,
still lingers in the permanent mental and physical damage to its victims.
Still cripples our standing in the world.
Now we want to make it official?
With a little meeting, Feinstein could forget all that?
Put a happy face on it?
Have we learned anything at all?
no
no
NO.
7
As TRUMP continues to TORTURE our entire country (AND the rest of the world) choosing Haspel (with her Tortuous background) comes as no great surprise: "Birds of a Feather".
9
Of course he picks Haspel, who oversaw the black box torture program under Bush. Trump wants to kill those involved with drugs, on the spot, like the Philippine bully president Durante. Where's the surprise here? So Dems and Repubs better speak up loudly and clearly in her senate hearing to litigate this issue in a full public forum. This is not who we are as Americans. Might be who Trump wants us to be, but I don't believe she represents who most Americans want us to be.
6
Could someone please tell us why none of these people, including the president and his staff, were charged as war criminals?
Oh, right, we won the war. War criminals on the winners side are never charged.
3
You need to reproof this article. Sentences are missing words. For example: “Ms. Haspel was described former agency operatives and F.B.I. agents who worked with her as apolitical....”
I assume “by” should be inserted between “described” and “former.” That is just one example.
2
More discouraging news falling into a veritable landslide of discouraging news.
5
If there are any water-boarding tapes left, they should be played at her confirmation hearing.
6
Just when you think it couldn't get any worse than Scott Pruitt, Betsy DeVos and their ilk, Trump's appointment has sunk to a new low with Gina Haspel. This torturing war criminal should have no place anywhere in the federal payroll. This abomination of a nomination must be immediately derailed, no matter how much new torture revisiting the nightmarish torture that Ms. Haspel was involved in will bring. Maybe that will be a reminder yet again of what a wretched administration this is.
8
This is the price of Obama's pusillanimity: he caved when asked to prosecute Bush-era functionaries who committed war crimes and crimes against humanity. And this VERY bad penny has come rolling back: despite her personal role in torture and in the destruction of evidence (of behaviors that she herself, through obstruction of justice, realized made her legally culpable).
Hard to say what is worse: the terrible crimes perpetrated government officials (in our name, on our tax dollars), the failure to prosecute by the Obama administration, or the predictable raptures by Trump.
A sorry day, no, many sorry days, in U.S. history.
6
Yeah, right, it's the black guy's fault for not being your Stepin Fetchit and starting his Presidency by doing what you tell him to do, using the Justice Department to attack the previous Administration, and prosecuting a CIA officer for actions that didn't violate our laws.
Brilliant.
Just so's we're clear, Torture Is Wrong. What my country did is disgraceful, and a permananent stain. Making this woman CIA head is disgusting.
And you cannot show me which laws she violated, which is where the worse disgrace really is.
Torture: Everyone does it worldwide, despite denials. Why? It works, despite denials of its effectiveness. Why denials? No one wants to face up to the understandably huge outrage and revulsion at subjecting any human being to such treatment. In 10,000 years of human existence, we are treating each other worse than ever, and still lying about it.
1
Show me proof that torture works, because all the data I've seen says otherwise.
2
Angry: Impossible to study effect of torture without extreme bias, since only anti-torture proponents will come forward with such studies. Pro-torture proponents will not come forward for fear of reprisal.
1
Jack,
All reports from those whom have used it tell us it does not work. The FBI tells us it does not work. Common sense tells us it does not work.
For torture to work you would have to know what the person knows before torturing them. Knowing that what's the point of it. Conversely if you don't know what they know then how will you know what they tell you is reliable? If you establish a repport and you verify a few things you can trust info you get from someone willingly.
It has been proven time and again that being nice to prisoners gets more from them than anything else. it is such a well known fact of life there is an old adage about it; "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar."
Read this; https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/05/-versch-auml-rfte...
Quote from the article taken from 1948 War Crimes trial; "In deciding the degree of punishment, the Court found it decisive that the defendants had inflicted serious physical and mental suffering on their victims, and did not find sufficient reason for a mitigation of the punishment in accordance with the provisions laid down in Art. 5 of the Provisional Decree of 4th May, 1945. The Court came to the conclusion that such acts, even though they were committed with the connivance of superiors in rank or even on their orders, must be regarded and punished as serious war crimes."
And No everyone does not do it.
Ms. Haspel's chances of obtaining Senate confirmation strike me as not good. The Republicans at present have a 51-49 majority, and it seems pretty certain that Senator McCain will vote no. It is possible that one or more of the red-state Democratic senators who is up for re-election this year will vote yes. But if this doesn't happen, then a no vote from just one more Republican senator would be enough to scuttle the nomination. Senator Paul, I would think, is not going to be inclined to vote for her, and he may very well have company. This is a nomination that could ultimately wind up being withdrawn in order to avoid the embarrassment of a Senate rejection.
2
Let's hope so.
An addendum to my prior post: Senator Paul has since announced his opposition to Ms. Haspel's nomination (and to Mr. Pompeo's nomination for Secretary of State). At least one Democratic Senator will now have to come out in support of her nomination, and thus risk being labeled as "pro-torture," in order for her to obtain confirmation. I'm not sure that any Senate Democrat will be willing to take this risk; there will be tremendous grass-roots pressure to oppose this nomination.
Rand Paul was on TV this morning, announcing no way, no how he's voting for a torturer. We'll see, but at least so far, the man's consistent with his announced principles.
Torture is a crime both in the United States and internationally. The country cannot have someone associated with torture in charge of the CIA. This was brutal and sadistic, and it went far, far beyond anything to do with information gathering (which has been proven not to be helped by torture anyway).
An obscure law (or rule) was passed after 9/11 that may have impacted this operation. The CIA was declared to no longer subject to external investigations when a subject died in its custody. How many bodies were buried without anyone knowing?
5
interesting story. so I guess the implication is that no previous CIA head had any knowledge of and did not endorse torture? I guess.
1
How has a country that once prided itself on being principled come to this?
1
Greed and fear and ignorance and stupidity and sloth.
2
We will never know what happened in the puzzle palace vis-a-vis the torture (or, in Republican speak, "enhanced interrogation") in those overseas CIA chambers, and we'll never know what Ms. Haspel did or did not do, but what we can safely conclude is she did nothing to intervene and stop the torture and was part of the cover up and the destruction of the videotapes.
She is, in that sense, a perfect reflection of the man who now wants to make her head of the CIA, a man who likes the idea of torture because it makes him feel tough.
But, were she on trial at Nuremberg, the American prosecutor, Mr. Jackson, would be thundering--"Saying you were simply obeying orders, protecting your own career is not a defense against the charge of crimes against humanity.
3
Why she isn't in jail, I'll never know.
not true, I do know, and it makes me far angrier.
4
If you want to get angry, look into the soulless psychologists who got filthy rich through the torture programs, all with the implicit backing of the APA. The frauds who perpetrated the "science" behind the torture were the same ones overseeing and sometimes personally conducting the torture, all for a buck (and one might assume a sick sense of power)
Good, we need a strong woman who understands how to deal with our enemies who don't follow the rules, it's not a fair game if one is playing by them and the other is not.
North Korea, Russia and China will not hesitate a moment to throw the rulebook out of the window if it comes to dealing with us one on one.
America is not North Korea, Russia, and China, although Dump clearly wants us to be, just as he's trying like mad to become one with their murdering dictators.
No, it's not good. If America openly cedes the moral high ground, than we will have lost so much standing and goodwill in the international community.
Will an accomplished female torturer be worse than the aspiring male torturer she will replace?
Is it even possible for the C.I.A. to be any less ethical than it has been over more than six decades of equipping death squads, training torturers, assassinating peaceful opponents, violently overthrowing democracies, supporting dictators, and fueling the arms race by lying about the U.S.S.R.'s military capacity?
Trump said it all, "Lock her up!" Torture is illegal under treaties the United States is party to, Japanese war criminals were prosecuted for it, and she knew it. A claim of niavety is not credible, and not a defense for any other criminal.
2
Apparently it is no longer sufficient to be merely unqualified and incompetent to serve this President; one must now be truly malevolent.
5
Good! We need a tough lady in that position!
1
She is not tough, she is a coward. To hide her cowardice she will do anything. That is not toughness its fear and more cowardice.
2
By tough I assume you mean someone who has an abnormally high (or non-existent) threshold for causing pain to others. I can think of a lot of words that would fit that definition, 'tough' isn't one of them.
The Republicans are going to do what they will, but the Democrats need to stand 100% in opposition of Ms. Haspel's confirmation. A zero tolerance for torture is yet another way to differentiate the Democrats from the Republicans.
Under Obama US citizens were tortured on US soil. The most famous case being Bradly Manning who was confined in a cell with lights on 24 hours a day, never given clothes, forced to sleep on a metal slab with no blankets or pillows, was not allowed to exercise, not allowed to read, not allowed visitors or outside contact and not allowed visits by his counsel. So what exactly is the uproar about? After all, we are advancing women, breaking the glass ceiling, and all of those other cliches. I see a bunch of mysogenist writing letters opposing a strong woman assuming a position of power.
Truly unfortunate. Now we all have to go through the Senate confirmation hearings and watch and listen to the black marks on our history again. Abu Ghraib and all the torture we inflicted in the name of Democracy and Freedom.
But maybe it will help us in the future to remember, "never again". I'm afraid though this President will not see the cruelty and senselessness of this inhuman treatment.
24
I saw the movie "Zero Dark 30", and the methods used to interrogate the captured Isis terrorists seemed perfectly in line with the acts they committed. These are people who, among similar atrocious acts, put a human being in a cage, threw gasoline on him and set him afire; and video recorded their "cruelty" and "inhuman treatment". For sure we need special and exceptional methods and tactics to deal with avowed terrorists, and exceptional and special people to enforce such methods and tactics.
Trump has already stated publicly that he's in favor of waterboarding.
"never again"
The rebubs and trumpublicans do not believe in "never again." Instead they want to "do it again." They really are psychopaths.
1
Yes, more of the worst people are taking control of our government. When is it enough already.
27
She's a war criminal and should be in jail, not running the CIA. The CIA's torture program, and our continuing national shame at Guatanamo are our country's lowest moments. We are supposed to be better than this.
And - those who comment on here that she gets a pass because "other countries do it" are missing the point. We are supposed to be better than this.
30
An awful confluence of individuals- a CIA leader who aggressively took part in atrocities and worked to cover up the evidence, and an erratic, emotionally unstable President who has a major sadistic streak and impulse to punish and attack rather than understand. This does not bode well.
27
Who's next on her list? Americans who disagree with Trump? Puerto Ricans who want clean water and electricity? Teenagers who don't want guns on our streets?
36
She is a patriot, so Is W. I hope she is confirmed to the sound and sight of Dems making complete fools of themselves.
3
If she and Dubya are "patriots," we really do not need any "patriots." We would prefer people who can think.
Note that only the CIA thought torture was necessary, it was run by ignorant psychologists who did not know anything about interrogation, and they admitted that they got no good info from the torture. The CIA program was run by amateurs (as usual for the CIA).
The Army, on the other hand, has professional interrogators, who did not torture, and they got good info form their detainees.
2
Frank, I don't believe you're in Kansas anymore....
1
Do you think America has difficulty with Chinese, Russian, ISIS spies is that the worst fate of those captured is a mean game of patty cake and then to be briefly detained, fed and clothed while the prisoner works on their book/movie?
4
Pres Trump makes 2 great moves with Haspel and Pompeo. As far as MSM reporting back then there wasn't anything illegal about her role and she's only be scrutinized due to who nominated her. And say what you want but there are absolutely scenarios where "torture is warranted". (Alan Dershowitz)) Those who think American lives are protected by words on paper should go back to your safe space, finish your glass of wine and keep dreaming.
3
The problem is that torture doesn't work. It also goes against our values. What are we fighting for?
1
" there wasn't anything illegal about her role "
Wrong That was only an opinion by amateur lawyers in the Justice department who were instructed to write an opinon upholding the lawfulness of torture. The Geneva Convention, and US law, BTW, specifically outlaws all torture. Period. It was never challenged in court so never had a chance to be overturned (largely because the court said nothing classified could be brought to court, so no way for normal people to bring charges ). That is the way corruption works in the US.
John Yoo, the war criminal who wrote the pro-torture memos, was described by other lawyers as a very amateurish lawyer who had no idea what he was doing. His memo is described an completely inept. But it was good enough cover for Dubya and Cheney, two proven incompetents, to use it to defend their war crimes.
2
Everything about her role was illegal. No honest person can say that the deceptions created by the War Criminal bush administration were honest interpretation of law.
https://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2007/05/-versch-auml-rfte...
Here is the last paragraph of that article:
"Critics will no doubt say I am accusing the Bush administration of being Hitler. I'm not. There is no comparison between the political system in Germany in 1937 and the U.S. in 2007. What I am reporting is a simple empirical fact: the interrogation methods approved and defended by this president are not new. Many have been used in the past. The very phrase used by the president to describe torture-that-isn't-somehow-torture - "enhanced interrogation techniques" - is a term originally coined by the Nazis. The techniques are indistinguishable. The methods were clearly understood in 1948 as war-crimes. The punishment for them was death. "
1
... This is the south of everywhere and we have been only just building a city of rock & roll here... ... ... ...
This is perfect choice. Just another appointee who hates people who are not born to perfection like the Trumpster.
The Trump war torture was to tickle his feet.
2
Gina Haspel has participated in the CIA torture program and was involved int the destruction of video recordings that documented these crimes.
She has violated the United Nations Convention against Torture and the US Code Title 18 2340A.
She should NOT be confirmed to any government office. Let us hope that the Senate will not confirm her to lead the CIA and allow Ms. Haspel "to spend more time with her family."
46
Who is this woman?! In can find nothing about her before she joined the CIA in 1985. Surely, she grew up in a family, was educated in schools and lived in a community--and didn't just spring from the earth. What experiences shaped her world view?! We need to know before we can entrust our national security to her. Right now, Gina Haspel seems a little like Jason Bourne.
15
Who cares if she's a woman? If her background is as described I'd rather have an ethical man in this position.
28
Everyone seems to agree that Haspel supervised a torture program that violated international law and then destroyed evidence of it. The only defense her supporters offer is that she was just following orders. That defense was rejected by the Nuremberg Tribunal. It is a blot on the character of the United States to elevate such a person to high office. Instead she should have been prosecuted long ago.
42
At Nuremberg tht Nazs' defense were tht they wea all following orders when they exterminated helpless people. I have always beleive that teUSA was better than that. Apparently, Trump doesn't get it.
I was afraid Trump was going to give the job to Devin Nunes or Erik Prince. I am thankful for the choice of Ms. Haspel. At least she is a professional.
6
"At least she is a professional."
A professional war criminal, you mean.
Ms. Haspel could have refused to participate in torture at the black site. She apparently did not refuse. The Nuremberg Principles explicitly state that acting under orders does not excuse illegal activity. Her later destruction of the evidence shows that she has no concern for the law.
She is far beyond inappropriate for any position of authority. Senator Feinstein should block her appointment if that is within her power.
124
It is a perversion of history to allege that torturing prisoners "used to be legal but now it's not." It has never been legal. While the Cheney/Bush administration extracted pro-torture memos from John Yoo, his opinions contradicted the Geneva Conventions and were widely condemned in the legal community. No, Ms. Haspel's defense cannot rest on "it used to be legal." All she has is that famous Nuremberg Trials plea: "I was just doing what my superiors told me to do." That defense didn't work at Nuremberg, and it shouldn't work now.
70
Nothing this guy does anymore disgusts me.
I'm all disgusted out.
Repudiation - November 2018
28
Repudiation starts now, today, in western Pennsylvania! Everyone to the left of far right needs to vote in every election - local, regional, statewide, and especially in November.
It is with certainty that the abuses perpetrated on innocent victims of the "War on Terror" hauled in by the CIA's net of paying informants in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan contributed to the worldwide spread of Muslim fanatics. Bloodlust breeds bloodlust. The fact that this woman was a huge part of that makes me ashamed of my gender for the first time ever.
20
How many Americans care? Say, what's the latest on the Bachelor fiasco?!?
9
I have only superficially looked at this story but from what i can see Sarah Gilbert will make a fine Director of the CIA. When she was Roseanne's daughter she was always the most sensible one in the family. Now that she has grown up and is on The Talk, she continues to amaze and enlighten. She always "one ups" Sharon Osbourne and her snooty British attitude. Also, she is not a flat earther like Shari Sheppard. Finally, although she was not a regular on The Big Bang Theory, she seems like the kind of person that would stay in touch with at least Sheldon and Leonard so that if any scientific questions come up like , how long can you waterboard someone before they are irretrievably mentally damaged, they would be good enough friends that they would answer her. Good luck Sarah.
4
Well, yeah.
Sure, Haspel ran a secret prison in Thailand.
And sure, she tortured prisoners.
And sure, she covered up her crimes by destroying evidence.
But hey, she was "just following orders".
Where have I heard that phrase before?
60
The Obama administration.
No we do not need a torturer in charge of the CIA. And the evidence at her confirmation hearing should be declassified.
35
Trump should find someone else. The left will NEVER give this women a moment's peace with their "torture" claims.
She may be terrifically qualified, but look at the Obama administration picks for positions in government. So many were unqualified, just filling minority quotas. I'm fine with a qualified woman...just don't select a lightening rod.
4
No one who knowingly aided in torture and then tried to cover it up is qualified for any position in any American government.
1
I don't recall any issues with unqualified Obama administration team members. Can you name a few and cite some facts?
1
Ladies and Gentlemen. This is the"intellect" of the Reich Wing.
Tom is just peachy keen with a woman her "torture" claims notwithstanding.
1
Clearly she is "a good deputy," as Ms. Feinstein maintains. And the "I was only following orders" defense will probably work in this instance. No evidence, no problem; sure we deleted it, but hey.
11
Ms. Haspel is a better choice than some politician. Finally someone the CIA respects.
3
NYT Reader -- Torture never deserves anything but disdain and condemnation.
Trying to defend that a world power like the USA needs to torture in order to get "respect" and breaking international law? Of course, the US can choose to just opt out of treaties - hey, easy for Trump. Who cares? Just one step closer to become a rough nation.
4
So, you agree with the use of torture, which, by the way is a violation of the Fifth Amendment and International law? IF the CIA respects her, then we need to clean house at the CIA. This is not Nazi Germany, this is the USA.
3
This is a test of Democrats pragmatism. While her involvement with the whole waterboarding debacle is bad, image who Trump will appoint if her confirmation fails. Some political lackey no doubt. Bad is better than worse.
The real significance of the appointment of Gina Haspel to direct the CIA, the nation’s foremost intelligence agency is the fact that President Trump has appointed a woman to direct the agency. This is a significant achievement for all American women. You'd think President Trump, who has been maligned by the feminist left as a misogynist and disrespectful of women, would not make such an appointment, to place the nation's foremost intelligence agency in the hands of a woman. As for her role in "torture," well that needs to be put in a broader perspective. At least the terrorists were not summarily executed, as perhaps should have been their fate. In the name of justice, they were granted the opportunity to live, unlike the outcome they chose for their innocent victims. I wish, as should all Americans, Ms. Haspel all the best as the nation’s first female director of the CIA. Thank you.
7
He didn't appoint her because she's a woman, he appointed her because she has an established track record of willingness to both act outside the law and to brutalize and torture those whose human rights have been violated by denying them due process.
He picked her for her willingness to harm the innocent.
14
@Tracy,
"Her willingness to harm the innocent."
I respectfully disagree with you. What about the innocent people whose lives were cut prematurely cut short because of the acts of these terrorists? The victims of terrorism are the innocent, not the terrorists. I do not believe terrorists deserve due process. They do not deserve justice. They deserve execution. Thank you.
3
If you consider yourself a patriotic citizen of the USA then why do you use a moniker celebrating the Confederate States of America, a political entity which waged war against the USA? Your ancestors should be equally grateful for the compassion and mercy this country showed to them, allowing them to live instead of subjecting them to the summary justice of murder which you advocate for those who attack our country.
3
In 1988 Ronald Reagan singed the Convention Against Torture and Inhuman Treatment or Punishment, which he helped create and was a strong supporter of internationally. It was one of the ways Reagan and Americans sought to differentiate ourselves from the Russians and other communist dictators who used torture.
Under that treaty the United States SHOULD have had Gina Haspel sent to the Hague for prosecution for her part in the use of torture.
The senate would confirming that the United States is a rogue state in support of torture by confirming her to head CIA. It would be a recruiting coup for ISIS and al Qaeda and other anti American terrorists around the globe, and yet another reason for nations like China to thumb their noses at us when we talk about "human rights abuses."
17
John, Citing Reagan is an excercise in futility as all progressives view him as a brew of hitter, Stalin, Mao and Satan and as such everything he did was evil.
Defending Miss Haspel with ‘She had a dirty job to do.’ is really unacceptable! I’ll say it repeating my Representative Ron Wyden ‘Torture does not work.’ Any civilized culture realizes that.
15
Having the videotapes of the torture sessions destroyed means that Gina Haspel had much to hide and was ashamed of. We know that the CIA is an agency that conducts clandestine operations but torture and waterboarding are beneath the dignity of US intelligence operatives. Such tactics may be commonplace in Russia, which may be why the president is such a big fan of dehumanizing prisoners.
26
It is her role in the subsequent attempt and success in destroying evidence should truly impeach her as a person whom our government, and our allies, can trust.
In both torture and the destruction of evidence, she followed unlawful orders and attempted to hide it.
21
You never see Americans applauding the "enhanced interrogation techniques" used by the Japanese against the American prisoners of war in World War II. No pat on the back to the torturers of the "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War. Would those American POW's agree that their pain and suffering was a necessary act? That the ends justified the means?
Torture is immoral and unethical. To use it is to lose any moral high ground you have over your opponent in a conflict. The waterboarding footage was probably the star of al Qaeda recruitment video for years. As a citizen, a voter, and a taxpayer, I have to ask: what else is this person willing to do? What other immoral acts can be justified?
166
I had a girlfriend in college, who when she was little asked her dad, "Why are your toenails so think?" He said, "because someone pulled them off once." He was Korean War POW.
The coward in the White House, who has sacrificed nothing for his country, likes torture. Do you? Does it make you feel good about America?
5
Trump promised to drain the swamp. Instead, he is returning to the fetid morass of the Bush administration, apparently with full intent to make it bigger, deeper and more evil. Why not just bring back Cheney, the original architect and champion of torture and black arts? I bet even Haspel can learn a thing or two from him.
Alas for our country.
55
And don't forget, Bush's stooge John Yoo, who O.K.'d torture with a spurious legal argument and now teaches at Berkeley Law.
19
@Exiled in St. Louis,
When Trump talked about "draining the swamp," he meant getting rid of Obama and Clinton Democrats.
3
did anyone with a working brain think differently
Why not?
The senate and congress have their own role to correct his decisions.
4
Gina Haspel is a sad legacy of the Obama administration's unwillingness to deal with the CIA torture program that is a stain on our own human rights advocacy. Moreover, given Donald trump's embrace of torture it sends a very chilling signal about America's attitude to torture. The only hope is that the Senate will not confirm her as a person who not only conducted torture, but then destroyed incriminating evidence. This is not the face of the CIA you ever want to present to the world.
105
President Obama was a great president.
However, he should have prosecuted the Bush administration officials who broke our laws by committing these atrocities. All the way up the ladder.
Not doing so sent the wrong message then, and now the fact that a dungeon master is even considered for this job sends a horrible message to the world.
61
As Mark Danner has prominently said: "The Obama administration was haunted" by what the Bush administration did. Not saying that while saying she is "a sad legacy" of the Obama administration is conniving -- have to call you out on that (to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn).
"On his first day in office, President Obama issued executive orders that stopped the use of these techniques and provided for task forces to study US government policies on rendition, detention, and interrogation, among others.
"Most politicians remain convinced that still fearful Americans—given the choice between the image of 24’s Jack Bauer, ... doing “everything it takes” to protect them from that ticking bomb, and the image of weak liberals “reading Miranda rights to terrorists”—will choose Bauer every time."
1
His failure to hold the criminals to account is right up there with his failure to stand on the red line and to not have a spine and fight back by pointing out how dishonest and manipulative the GOP is. he might have been an OK president in a different time but the legacy of allowing such open and obvious crimes to go unpunished will haunt his presidency forever. There are several thousand maybe as many as a hundred thousand Americans who belong in prison right now for what they did under W.
1
Haspel is clearly qualified, but all those concerned about torture need to get ironclad commitment and clarity from Haspel that torture will never be used under any circumstances, contrary to what Trump wants. If she can't give this commitment, she should not be confirmed.
5
She supported and then tried to hide her links with torture. Under your analysis, Heinrich Himmler would make a good head of the CIA.
1
No. the answer its to not hire War Criminals to work in our government.
1
"If she can't give this commitment, she should not be confirmed."
Shall we let Nikolas Cruz go free if he promises to never, ever commit mass murder again? International war criminal Gina Haspel has never even been called to account for her atrocities.
1
If Ms. Haspel knew that people were being tortured in violation of the Geneva Convention, why did she permit it ? Did she discuss the program with Vice President Cheney at any time while Cheney was in office ? Why did she believe torture was effective and also in the national interest ? Did she believe that everyone in war tortures prisoners to get information they believe is important ?
9
Were you born recently? The Bush admin set out to torture from the start. They hired corrupt lawyers Our AG Alberto Gonzales and a lawyer who now teaches at Berkeley School Of Law Jon Yoo to create "the torture memo" which is a tortured legal document that invents justifications for torture and introduces the idea that the Constitution and our national laws only applies to Americans in America (It applies to all of us all the time anywhere we are working for the US government or where the government is acting.) and because of that twisted perverted and wrong but taken intentionally to create this false legal loophole to allow torture, they said there is no law against these things in (list countries here) and because our people were outside the borders of US controlled territory they were not subject to having to follow US law.
That is the basis they created so that they could do what they always wanted to do and arguably knew for a fact would not work to get information before they ever created this "system". They did it to show people how tough they were because they think being a calm secure adult is a sign of weakness. How ironic is it that PBS is running a documentary about Fred Rogers as I type!?
Reminder- If you are working for the US government you are subject to all of its laws no matter where you are.
1
At the time, Bush's legal eagles had declared everything done was legal and above board. She was only following accepted orders. Have to try and get her on some other claim. The real villains, W and company, have already escaped unharmed.
3
As long as they live they will have the cloud hanging over them that some honorable person in our government might act to hold them to account. Might even render them to the Hague or some other place where they can be held to account for the evil they did. Crimes Against Humanity have no Statue of Limitation.
1
If Trump continues down the path of authoritarianism. If he does try to become president for life. What does the likes of someone like Gina Haspel portend for our future?
7
Whether she broke domestic or international law, whether she did so under orders or not, whether she resisted inhumane and counterproductive polices- these are important questions. Equally important- whether she can resist Trump's efforts to manipulate the intelligence community to his own political ends- these are key questions.
There is no doubt the Intelligence agencies are under siege- their independence and integrity being challenged- Congressional committees prostrating themselves to the President- politically motivated cynical slavishness.
We need these agencies to retain a perception and reality of independence and legality. Otherwise, the democracy is further imperiled.
75
As the news turns, day after day after day, I am convinced that the question of whether or not America is going to remain true to its ideals and strive to reach them rests solely with the Vote. As a president who clearly does not believe in Democracy, Trumpism will infect and spread through every arm of our government. He is going to make sure of that. I agree that we need our agencies to retain independence, but I don't think we can put all our eggs in that basket.
2
A pusillanimous GOP Congress; a super narcissist, combative Trump who demeans his opposition, loves the word SOB, emulates authoritarian leaders like Putin, Erdogan, Xi Jinping... and himself supports torture...why should you be surprised at his selection of a candidate like Gina Haspel
2
Clearly she cannot resist manipulation efforts!
As Sen Paul said: "My opposition to her is over her direct participation in interrogation and her gleeful enjoyment of someone being tortured."
Gleeful Enjoyment!
She also participated in the destruction of CIA material (videos of the torture she was gleeful about) despite Congressional demands to preserve the material. She should be in jail...NOT running the CIA
5
Is anyone surprised that Trump, who never met a dictator he didn't like and shows total disdain for human rights, would embrace one of the architects of the CIA torture program?
That disgraceful program is a stain on our history. It directly contradicted what are supposed to be American values, and those involved had to lie about its effectiveness to try to justify it. Elevating one of its principals to lead the CIA sends a terrible message, no matter how competent an administrator she may be.
36
If there is a problem with this Trump move it is that it is impossible in any instance to know what derives from his unbridled impulsivity verse considered purpose.
As for Ms. Haspel, the Senate will now go through the usual drill of sanctimoniously dredging the dirt. In this case that will center on the issue of interrogation and the destruction of taped records thereof. Second guessing the immediate aftermath of 911 will produce some suitably interesting but essentially useless outcomes. As for lessons to be learned they seem to habitually fade in the context of the next existential crisis moment.
When the dust settles she will be confirmed. She is certainly qualified. The CIA is after all the CIA — spies get into the dark tranches out of elemental necessity. Fundamentally Its not an civilized business.
13
There is nothing sanctimonious about opposing torture. I don't care how dark the corners are.
2
I liked our country better when we didn't torture people. I don't care if it was her directive or not, the torture happened under her watch. Then, she had the audacity have the evidence destroyed.
Trump only hires the best people, folks.
96
It was destroying the evidence that should have sent everyone involved to prison. We were a weak and amoral nation to fail to stand up to the Bush Torture Regime, and as punishment we have Trump and a second chance for international war criminal Gina Haspel to commit bigger and better atrocities.
1
Why don’t you run for office?