Discussion over Haspel illustrates how we want senators to make decisions

The Washington Post, long a champion of more strong women in positions of power, has editorialized against the confirmation of Gina Haspel, one of the strongest women in the lower-48, as Central Intelligence Agency chief. For example, the media coverage that had erupted the very week the videotapes of waterboarding sessions were summarily destroyed with the active participation of Haspel and her immediate supervisor.

Two sources familiar with preparations for the hearing said Haspel is regarded inside the Central Intelligence Agency as a supporter of the so-called harsh interrogation techniques, and there is little if any record of her expressing objections or reservations about them. So far, the only Republicans who have announced opposition to Haspel are Rand Paul and John McCain, who is battling cancer and is not expected to be present for the vote.

Haspel, the CIA’s acting director and a career intelligence officer, faced grilling about her role overseeing some CIA operations in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

The potential roadblock is some of Haspel’s work in the shadows during the perilous period after 9/11 when the United States was desperate to prevent more terrorist attacks. “On Twitter, he wrote, “[Haspel’s] role in overseeing the use of torture is disturbing & her refusal to acknowledge torture’s immorality is disqualifying”. She further mentioned that she won’t allow any activity under Central Intelligence Agency that seems immoral to her, even if it is legal with a technical aspect. Kamala Harris’ (D-Calif.) simple “yes or no” question: Is torture immoral?

In the book, which comes out later this month, he calls on Americans to “recover our sense that we are more alike than different”. A repugnant but approved form of torture was practiced by Americans in locations around the world. McConnell, who sets the Senate’s agenda, has said he looks forward to a full Senate vote soon to confirm her. She told senators Wednesday that she had “absolutely” supported the destruction of 92 tapes, all depicting one detainee being interrogated, over concerns “about the security risk that was posed to our officers”.

Haspel already has the strong support of many Republicans.

“I want to be clear”, Haspel told the committee.

Haspel testified that the USA has a new legal framework that governs detentions and interrogations forbidding what she refused to call torture. It said: “May I remind you my husband has a family, 7 children and 5 grandchildren”. We ask because, at various times, Trump has sounded like a fan of “tough” interrogations.

And it was on the heels of McCain’s rebuke that Haspel’s use of torture was also praised by Cheney, who himself is a proud architect of the Bush administration’s implementation of torture.

Spycraft is exotic, at least as portrayed in paperbacks.

Haspel’s testimony was interrupted by a protester who yelled, “Bloody Gina” and ‘You are a torturer, ‘ before being removed by police.