Trump's CIA pick Gina Haspel promises no more harsh interrogation programme

[webfact]

Trump's CIA pick promises no more harsh interrogation programme

By Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu

 

Acting CIA Director Gina Haspel testifies at her Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 9, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's pick for CIA director was grilled by lawmakers on Wednesday over her role in the agency's past harsh interrogation system, pledging she would never restart the programme or follow any morally objectionable order from Trump.

 

The U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for CIA acting Director Gina Haspel was dominated by questions about her part in the spy agency's use of methods such as waterboarding, a type of simulated drowning widely considered torture, more than a decade ago under President George W. Bush. She also was pressed about the destruction of videotapes documenting the tactics.

 

"Having served in that tumultuous time, I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation programme," Haspel told the Senate Intelligence Committee.

 

"My moral compass is strong. I would not allow CIA to undertake activity that I thought was immoral, even if was technically legal. I would absolutely not permit it," Haspel said when asked what she would do if Trump asked her to carry out an order she found "morally objectionable."

 

An undercover officer for most of her 33-year career, Haspel in 2002 served as CIA station chief in Thailand, where the agency conducted interrogations at a secret prison using methods including waterboarding. Three years later, she drafted a cable ordering the destruction of videotapes of those interrogations.

 

When pressed, Haspel often stuck to scripted answers or avoided questions by saying they involved secret information. She later testified at a closed-door classified session.

 

Republican Senator Susan Collins asked Haspel what she would do if Trump, who has advocated the return of waterboarding, gave her a direct order to use it on a "high-value terrorism suspect."

 

"I do not believe the president would ask me to do that," Haspel said, without directly answering the question.

 

Collins, a moderate Republican, said later she would vote for Haspel's confirmation.

 

Asked how Haspel's comments squared with Trump's belief that waterboarding works, White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said Trump would let Haspel make her own decisions.

 

"The president has confidence in Gina Haspel to lead the CIA and wants to see her do exactly that," Sanders told reporters.

 

Democratic Senator Kamala Harris asked if Haspel believed the previous interrogation techniques were immoral, and requested a "yes or no" answer. Haspel did not give it.

 

'DON'T BELIEVE THAT TORTURE WORKS'

Haspel said the CIA had learnt "tough lessons," and in retrospect she believed it was unprepared to conduct the detention and interrogation programme employed after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

 

She also told the senators: "I don't believe that torture works."

 

To be confirmed as the first woman to head the CIA, Haspel needs 51 votes in the 100-seat Senate, where Trump's fellow Republicans hold a 51-49 majority. The agency's former deputy director, she would succeed Mike Pompeo, a former Republican congressman confirmed last month as secretary of state.

 

She has strong support among Republicans, but at least one, Senator Rand Paul, has said he opposes her.

 

After the hearing, Haspel's chances for confirmation were boosted when Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat on the intelligence panel, announced his support. Another committee moderate, independent Angus King, announced that he would vote against.

 

Democrats pressed Haspel on the 2005 decision to destroy the interrogation videotapes when she was chief of staff to Jose Rodriguez, then the CIA's clandestine service chief. Haspel acknowledged she "absolutely was an advocate" for doing so, saying she feared a leak of the video would reveal the identities of CIA agents.

 

Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich asked her: "Doesn't that feel like a cover-up?"

 

"I never watched the tapes, but I understood that our officers' faces were on them and it was very dangerous," she said.

 

Haspel refused to criticise or second-guess actions taken by U.S. and CIA leadership in the aftermath of the 2001 attacks, including the interrogation programme.

 

"I'm not going to sit here with the benefit of hindsight and judge the very good people who made hard decisions who were running the agency in very extraordinary circumstances at the time," she said.

 

Democrats expressed frustration they had not been given more details of Haspel's long record with the agency, much of which remains classified.

 

Protesters interrupted her testimony before being removed, yelling: "Bloody Gina" and "You are a torturer."

 

Rights groups panned her performance. "Gina Haspel said she has a moral compass, but refused to say whether the torture programme she supervised was wrong," the American Civil Liberties Union's Christopher Anders said.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Doina Chiacu; Additional reporting by Mark Hosenball and Doina Chiacu; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Will Dunham and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-05-10

[Expatthailover]

Well what a surprise!

Did people think she would sau they were to be a cornerstone of the new cia?)

[Somtamnication]

Yeah, right! Name me an intelligence agency in the world that does not use torture. CIA is and always has been at the top. 

[BobBKK]

All this pandering to the PC brigade. Ok it's agreed mass murdering terrorists will be given a nice cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich and if they don't spill the beans we wont let them watch TV.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Expatthailover said:

Well what a surprise!

Did people think she would sau they were to be a cornerstone of the new cia?)

 

And of course, as the potential holder of such a high position of public service, she'd never ever lie, be economical with the truth or do anything that is illegal and against the constitution. No sir!

[Baerboxer]

2 hours ago, BobBKK said:

All this pandering to the PC brigade. Ok it's agreed mass murdering terrorists will be given a nice cup of tea and a cucumber sandwich and if they don't spill the beans we wont let them watch TV.

 

Only it would be nice to actually have them tried and convicted or acquitted rather than simply tortured on the whims of some thugs pretending to be secret police officers. 

 

That's the problem with letting agencies like the CIA do as they please. They never admit to being wrong and don't always act as they are required

[BobBKK]

18 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Only it would be nice to actually have them tried and convicted or acquitted rather than simply tortured on the whims of some thugs pretending to be secret police officers. 

 

That's the problem with letting agencies like the CIA do as they please. They never admit to being wrong and don't always act as they are required

They may make mistakes. But you catch a murderous IS nutter and offer them a sandwich?   or do you want to save other innocent from being blown to bits?  I know which way I'd go and if I had to cut his fingers off for the info I'd do it

[DM07]

35 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

They may make mistakes. But you catch a murderous IS nutter and offer them a sandwich?   or do you want to save other innocent from being blown to bits?  I know which way I'd go and if I had to cut his fingers off for the info I'd do it

Just FYI: torture doesn't work!

It never has!

Get some info, other than watching Kiefer Sutherland in "24" beating a suspect into a pulp!

It's a TV- show, not a documentary!

Maybe ask Senator Mc Cain, about the results of torture!

But I guess, you prefer guys, who were not captured and tortured...

[mtls2005]

 

She vas just following orders. Let's go to the video...whoops, where'd I put those tapes?

 

From John McCain's statement:

 

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9BF25289-D798-47B9-A30D-9494C6022EF8

 

"Like many Americans, I understand the urgency that drove the decision to resort to so-called enhanced interrogation methods after our country was attacked. I know that those who used enhanced interrogation methods and those who approved them wanted to protect Americans from harm. I appreciate their dilemma and the strain of their duty. But as I have argued many times, the methods we employ to keep our nation safe must be as right and just as the values we aspire to live up to and promote in the world.

 

"I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination." 

 

Not our first rodeo...

 

The Water Cure

Debating torture and counterinsurgency—a century ago.

 

Many Americans were puzzled by the news, in 1902, that United States soldiers were torturing Filipinos with water. 

 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/25/the-water-cure

 

 

Edited May 10, 2018 by mtls2005

[jobsworth]

So she was station chief in Thailand?
The CIA are in Thailand?
In fact the whole of South East Asia has been infiltrated by the CIA.
Every town has a CIA station chief controlling networks of NGO's, 
who may not know what they are involved in.
They think that they are working for the peace corps or world vision and are there to help the people.
In fact they are there to gather information.
 

[quandow]

Wasn't she in the CIA when they WEREN'T secretly interrogating prisoners in LOS?

[watcharacters]

 

I'm thirsty Gina.

[thaibeachlovers]

I thought it was made illegal under Obama, so why is this even an issue?

Personally, I am in the camp that believes harsh interrogation never works, as people just say anything they think will stop it, regardless of truth.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

She vas just following orders. Let's go to the video...whoops, where'd I put those tapes?

 

From John McCain's statement:

 

https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=9BF25289-D798-47B9-A30D-9494C6022EF8

 

"Like many Americans, I understand the urgency that drove the decision to resort to so-called enhanced interrogation methods after our country was attacked. I know that those who used enhanced interrogation methods and those who approved them wanted to protect Americans from harm. I appreciate their dilemma and the strain of their duty. But as I have argued many times, the methods we employ to keep our nation safe must be as right and just as the values we aspire to live up to and promote in the world.

 

"I believe Gina Haspel is a patriot who loves our country and has devoted her professional life to its service and defense. However, Ms. Haspel’s role in overseeing the use of torture by Americans is disturbing. Her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying. I believe the Senate should exercise its duty of advice and consent and reject this nomination." 

 

Not our first rodeo...

 

The Water Cure

Debating torture and counterinsurgency—a century ago.

 

Many Americans were puzzled by the news, in 1902, that United States soldiers were torturing Filipinos with water. 

 

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/02/25/the-water-cure

 

 

Does McCain have a better alternative ( most people want her, apparently ), or is he just opposing her because Trump nominated her?

[55Jay]

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

"My moral compass is strong.

But with Trump's lack of a moral compass and his presidential power to pardon anyone in the CIA who might use torture, her moral compass wont be very meaningful.

[mtls2005]

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Does McCain have a better alternative ( most people want her, apparently ), or is he just opposing her because Trump nominated her?

 

I am under the impression that POTUS nominates candidates for Director of the CIA. I do not think Senators can nominate candidates? It's not his job.

 

If she has nothing to hide, and if enhanced interrogation works, then show the videotapes - rumor is that she did not destroy all the copies.

 

She was not CIA "station chief" in Thailand, she simply oversaw Detention Site Green ("Cat's Eye"), in Udon Thani and/or U-Tapao, and has the title Deputy Group Chief, Counterterrorism Center, at that time.

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2018 by mtls2005

[Mansell]

Anybody trained well will not admit to real facts under torture, but will slowly over time feed bogus information to the torturers. The so called mastermind of 9/11 was water boarded 185 times......if it worked so well he would have spilled his guts the first time......the other 184 would have been redundant. Any professional interrogators know that just talking to the person and instilling trust and a relationship will yield real information over time. Well why not just cut off his fingers and speed it up? Because the person will tell you anything to get you to stop, and now you have to go through all of the crap looking for a kernel of truth. But the people on here that believe torture works cannot be convinced of any other point of view, even from the real interrogators who admit it's a waste of time.

[BobBKK]

5 hours ago, DM07 said:

Just FYI: torture doesn't work!

It never has!

Get some info, other than watching Kiefer Sutherland in "24" beating a suspect into a pulp!

It's a TV- show, not a documentary!

Maybe ask Senator Mc Cain, about the results of torture!

But I guess, you prefer guys, who were not captured and tortured...

Oh really...  

[DM07]

26 minutes ago, BobBKK said:

Oh really...  

Yes!

Really!

Now you learned something and getting up was not as useless as usual!

[AsiaHand]

Oh No! Gina! Does this mean that I have to give up my water hose ? You mean just until after you are confirmed right ?

[AsiaHand]

1 hour ago, Mansell said:

Anybody trained well will not admit to real facts under torture, but will slowly over time feed bogus information to the torturers. The so called mastermind of 9/11 was water boarded 185 times......if it worked so well he would have spilled his guts the first time......the other 184 would have been redundant. Any professional interrogators know that just talking to the person and instilling trust and a relationship will yield real information over time. Well why not just cut off his fingers and speed it up? Because the person will tell you anything to get you to stop, and now you have to go through all of the crap looking for a kernel of truth. But the people on here that believe torture works cannot be convinced of any other point of view, even from the real interrogators who admit it's a waste of time.

Maiming a person does less then a good psycology type of approach of torture .inflecting pain is not a good idea as one can become used to pain and learn to overcome it .When the water torture was started it took a while to get it correct. .Not many (one out of a two hundred could hold back what you are looking for .Showing someone sometimes is good also but not always ,as in Vietnam they would take 6 prisoners up and start throwing them out until you got what you wanted ,if the info proved wrong ,you took the rest up and threw them all out.    Mansel your are wrong about "anybody trained " idea. Diod you get your military training in the movies ?

Edited May 10, 2018 by AsiaHand

[unblocktheplanet]

This proves that not ONLY politicians lie through their teeth!

[Mansell]

18 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

Maiming a person does less then a good psycology type of approach of torture .inflecting pain is not a good idea as one can become used to pain and learn to overcome it .When the water torture was started it took a while to get it correct. .Not many (one out of a two hundred could hold back what you are looking for .Showing someone sometimes is good also but not always ,as in Vietnam they would take 6 prisoners up and start throwing them out until you got what you wanted ,if the info proved wrong ,you took the rest up and threw them all out.    Mansel your are wrong about "anybody trained " idea. Diod you get your military training in the movies ?

No, sorry to burst your ThaiVisa bubble. I spent ten years in the British military from the age of fifteen to twenty five. 1959 to 1969, everywhere from the Persian Gulf to Africa to Asia to the Falklands to Borneo to the Caribbean to the Antarctic to South America and the USA. 

The SAS guys caught in the first Gulf war divulged nothing under torture. And one of the guys was forced to eat his own shit which gave him hepatitis. He said if he came across his torturer years later in England and he knew he could get away with it, he would kill him.

[AsiaHand]

5 hours ago, Mansell said:

No, sorry to burst your ThaiVisa bubble. I spent ten years in the British military from the age of fifteen to twenty five. 1959 to 1969, everywhere from the Persian Gulf to Africa to Asia to the Falklands to Borneo to the Caribbean to the Antarctic to South America and the USA. 

The SAS guys caught in the first Gulf war divulged nothing under torture. And one of the guys was forced to eat his own shit which gave him hepatitis. He said if he came across his torturer years later in England and he knew he could get away with it, he would kill him.

So they were all heroes right ? If you got out in 69 then you were never involved in any thing but training right? Is the UK army in the normal act of enlisting children?  read a bunch of news stories did you ? Wow.

Edited May 11, 2018 by AsiaHand

[Oziex1]

To repeat a message from the internet.

 

I am not afraid of Al Qaeda or Isis but I am bloody petrified of the war mongering psycopaths who are the leaders of the western world.

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, Mansell said:

The SAS guys caught in the first Gulf war divulged nothing under torture.

Would it have mattered?

https://rsismilitarystudies.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/5-myths-about-torture-and-truth/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/13/AR2007121301303.html

 

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, AsiaHand said:

So they were all heroes right ? If you got out in 69 then you were never involved in any thing but training right? Is the UK army in the normal act of enlisting children?  read a bunch of news stories did you ? Wow.

Why so sceptical? Had you bothered to look with google, you'd know the Brits have "junior" soldiers at a young age ( currently 16 ), though in my country they scrapped the scheme because they were so brutal.

If you think the military is different in "peace time" you've never served.

[Mansell]

On May 11, 2018 at 5:49 PM, AsiaHand said:

So they were all heroes right ? If you got out in 69 then you were never involved in any thing but training right? Is the UK army in the normal act of enlisting children?  read a bunch of news stories did you ? Wow.

Wrong. We were with the Gurkhas in Borneo dealing with communist infiltrators from Indonesia. As we took them up a river to drop them in the jungle I was manning a machine gun as a teenager. WoW! Also in Aden when they were throwing grenades and firing RPG's at our soldiers stationed there. Also I was in the Royal Navy at fifteen, not the army. With the international laws now anybody under the age of eighteen has to be removed from any ship going into a combat situation. Civilians always have their snotty comments about people who have done something they have not......maybe they have had empty lives......Grin!

[thaibeachlovers]

On ‎5‎/‎25‎/‎2018 at 1:24 PM, Mansell said:

Wrong. We were with the Gurkhas in Borneo dealing with communist infiltrators from Indonesia. As we took them up a river to drop them in the jungle I was manning a machine gun as a teenager. WoW! Also in Aden when they were throwing grenades and firing RPG's at our soldiers stationed there. Also I was in the Royal Navy at fifteen, not the army. With the international laws now anybody under the age of eighteen has to be removed from any ship going into a combat situation. Civilians always have their snotty comments about people who have done something they have not......maybe they have had empty lives......Grin!

In Aden eh! Did you have anything to do with Mad Mitch?

I wonder how he'd be regarding the present conflict there if he were still alive. I think I know, but I won't say on here.