Gina Haspel Poised to Get the Top CIA Slot: Thanks to GOP Support for Torture, Lies, Deceit

Liar ready to lie under oath — sad that so many accept her BS

(America's new standard: Lying pays big dividends)

UPDATED: She was confirmed by the full senate, minus McCain's vote: 54-45 as follows (Sen. John McCain (AZ) did not show up to vote, ergo: 99 votes were cast).

Joining 48 Republicans were six Democrats: Sens. Joe Donnelly (IN); Heidi Heitkamp (ND) Joe Manchin (WV); Bill Nelson (FL); Jeanne Shaheen (NH); and, Mark Warner (VA).

The two Republican senators who voted no were: Rand Paul (KY) and Jeff Flake (AZ).

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Original Story Follows:

This story and report from the AP via MSN (May 16, 2018) – Gina Haspel is confirmed for Dir CIA by Senate Intelligence Committee 10-5 vote (full Senate vote yet to be scheduled). 

Key elements: 

During her confirmation hearing, she said she doesn't believe torture works as an interrogation technique.

She further said her “Strong moral compass would prevent her from carrying out any presidential order she found objectionable.”

She concluded: “With the benefit of hindsight and my experience as a senior agency leader, the enhanced interrogation program is not one the CIA should have undertaken I do not support use of enhanced interrogation techniques for any purpose.” 

My View: “Her after-the-fact pledge and now hindsight.” That is total BS. It also pretty damn weak. She should have spoken out years ago and should have known that torture DOES NOT WORK. At the time it would have been honorable and the right thing – she did not and thus she failed as others also did.

Obviously, she was simply protecting her own ass and position (she had to have known what torture was and that it was unlawful and illegal and a war crime) and all those above her at the time in the CIA upper echelons should have known, too that those so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques, waterboarding, and overall program was torture.” 

Attention now turns to the vote by the full Senate, which has yet to be scheduled. Haspel has already won the backing of several Democrats: Mark Warner of Virginia, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Joe Donnelley of Indiana, Bill Nelson of Florida, and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota.  

The only Senate Republicans who are not expected to vote for her are Kentucky's Rand Paul and Arizona's John McCain, who is battling cancer and is not expected to be present for the ballot.

Haspel's opponents, however, continue to weigh into the debate.

“Ms. Haspel is cynically trying to offer mere words in an attempt to win votes to support her confirmation. The definition of moral courage is doing the right thing at the right time for the right reasons when no one's looking. Gina Haspel failed that test.” (Wrote Gen. Charles C. Krulak, former commandant of the Marine Corps who organized the letter signed by more than 100 retired generals and admirals expressing concern over her nomination). 

(My note: Krulak was my Company Commander in VN in 1966, Golf Co., 2^nd BN, 1^st Marines - at the time he was a 1st Lt., and I was a Staff Sergeant platoon commander).

Daphne Eviatar with Amnesty International called Haspel's nomination an “affront to human rights,” adding: “This country has not held any officials accountable for the use of torture, so it's even more outrageous that the government is considering someone to the chief intelligence position in spite of her alleged participation in that clearly illegal and immoral activity.” 

My 2 Cents: I’ve said plenty here on this subject and for many years – FYI.

Suffice it to say Gina Haspel should not be confirmed as Director of the CIA, but this wimpy all GOP-run congress will not listen to logic or decency or common sense … shame on anyone of them who votes to confirm her.

Thanks for stropping by.