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Gina Haspel defends "moral compass" in grilling over CIA interrogation program
CBS "News" ^ | May 9, 2018

Posted on 05/09/2018 11:51:32 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

President Trump's pick to lead the CIA, Gina Haspel, was adamant throughout her confirmation hearing on Wednesday that she would not restart previous "enhanced interrogation" techniques used by the Agency in the aftermath of the attacks on 9/11. But in questioning from various senators, Haspel would not explicitly say if those past techniques were immoral or wrong.

"My parents gave me a moral compass, I would never ever take CIA back to an interrogation program," she told the committee.

Under questioning by California Democratic Sen. Kamala Harris, Haspel again would not explicitly say if past techniques at the CIA were immoral.

"I believe that the CIA did extraordinary work to prevent another attack," she said.

(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 115th; cia; ginahaspel; trumpcia; trumpgwot
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I wonder if Khalid Sheik Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah would rather be waterboarded by GW Bush or atomized in a drone strike by Hussein Obama?
1 posted on 05/09/2018 11:51:32 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

The Dems’ sympathy for terrorists is on full display.


2 posted on 05/09/2018 11:54:10 AM PDT by WilliamCooper1
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

It amazes me these Democrats, aka Demoncrats, give undying support to Planned Parenthood to kill over 300,00 fetuses a year and get all weepy over making terrorists uncomfortable.


3 posted on 05/09/2018 11:54:49 AM PDT by antidemoncrat
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Defending waterboarding is not a good look for the Trump administration. He campaigned on his ability to negotiate for good deals, not to use the old failed methods of interference in other nations.


4 posted on 05/09/2018 11:56:50 AM PDT by grania (President Trump, stop believing the Masters of War!)
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To: antidemoncrat

That’s a great point, and spot on.


5 posted on 05/09/2018 11:58:08 AM PDT by Obadiah
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To: grania

It’s legal and it worked. We do worse to our own Special Operations Command personnel during their selection and training.


6 posted on 05/09/2018 12:10:56 PM PDT by TallahasseeConservative (Isaiah 40:31)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Fine, don’t torture terrorists then.
Just simply execute them on the spot.


7 posted on 05/09/2018 12:12:04 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Democracy: The cliff's edge of Marxism)
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To: grania
"...old failed methods of interference in other nations..."

I take issue with that characterization. By all accounts, waterboarding has saved American lives by getting information used to prevent more attacks.

And people who say waterboarding doesn't provide useful information have absolutely zero idea what they are talking about.

8 posted on 05/09/2018 12:12:27 PM PDT by rlmorel (Leftists: They believe in the "Invisible Hand" only when it is guided by government.)
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To: rlmorel

Waterboarding saved lives of our soldiers who should not have been in Iraq. I’m glad American lives were saved. I’m sickened that with George 1, Obama, and George 2, ( hopefully not with Trump) that the US was involved in regime change.


9 posted on 05/09/2018 12:18:06 PM PDT by grania (President Trump, stop believing the Masters of War!)
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To: grania

grania, you and I will differ on this.

What we did was right, and I am proud of the performance and behavior of our military forces in that theater.

We had 2000 Americans murdered in cold blood in the space of several hours on 9/11, and Iraq was one of the countries that harbored terrorists KNOWN to have murdered Americans and was giving money to terrorists to murder people. The world changed after 9/11.

We had every right to, and could have gone in and flattened the place like the Soviets would have, but we aren’t the Soviets.

We gave them every chance with blood and treasure to create a better government that would have served our national interests and safety, and the fact that it didn’t work out and we got no thanks for it doesn’t make it wrong.

How many attacks did we have on American soil while we were taking the fight to them in Iraq and Afghanistan up until Obama took office? We didn’t have any that I recall. Instead of letting them sit on their asses over there and cook up schemes to come over here and murder us, we took the fight to them and made them spend all their time fearing for their lives and hiding in holes.

On top of that, I am firmly convinced that Iraq was behind the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building. And they violated the surrender terms of the first Gulf War every single day and targeted and shot at our aircraft.

Iraq had it coming, and justifiably so. Again, this isn’t a rebuke of you, grania. This is how I feel about it.


10 posted on 05/09/2018 12:29:45 PM PDT by rlmorel (Leftists: They believe in the "Invisible Hand" only when it is guided by government.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“My parents gave me a moral compass, I would never ever take CIA back to an interrogation program,”


Is this just me or is this lady is talking like a die-hard swamper?
We already have Sessions and Wray, we definitely don’t need another one, much less at the head of the CIA.


11 posted on 05/09/2018 12:34:08 PM PDT by miniTAX (au)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Manchin first Democrat trying to get reelected this year.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/386954-manchin-becomes-first-democrat-to-back-haspel


12 posted on 05/09/2018 1:09:17 PM PDT by SMGFan (Sarah Michelle Gellar is on twitter @SarahMGellar)
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To: grania

Trump during campaign on water boarding (video):

https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/video/trump-on-waterboarding-it-wouldn-t-bother-me-even-a-little-bit-618139715579


13 posted on 05/09/2018 1:13:33 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

My first answer, “Please may I clarify your question .. are you assuming that President Trump would order something that is immoral?”


14 posted on 05/09/2018 1:18:27 PM PDT by ThePatriotsFlag (We are getting even more than we voted for.)
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To: rlmorel
We respectfully disagree. There will be varying opinions as it's a complex issue.

Saudi Arabia is the home of a lot of terrorists. Yet they're our ally. That's uncomfortable. Israel and Saudi Arabia don't seem content with their borders. With a partition of Iraq, it would be a nice start to a homeland for Kurds. Their land was erased by mapmakers at about the same time Saudi Arabia was invented. How do we even begin to forgive ourselves for being involved in regime change in Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Kiev, Syria? Can we really blame Iran for not trusting the US? They haven't been the source of terrorism on US soil. It's hard to blame them for attacking our soldiers and allies the soil of their allies. And why the heck are we still in Afghanistan? I know the arguments, but the fact is that our presence hasn't made the Afghanistan safer.

I'm a member of the branch of Conservatives that feels that it's our borders and invaders in our country that we should be worrying about. I'm all for mutual respect among nations and religions.

15 posted on 05/09/2018 1:19:04 PM PDT by grania (President Trump, stop believing the Masters of War!)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

She’s a total winner. God Bless Trump for appointing her.


16 posted on 05/09/2018 1:21:30 PM PDT by GOPJ (MSNBC - when only shallow (more-money-than-brains) bimbos spewing breathless gossip will do...)
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To: miniTAX
I have a different perspective.

My take is she has to sound enough like her accusers from the Deep State and the DC Swamp, in order to get confirmed for the CIA Director's post.

Once confirmed, she can do her job without these pearl-clutching, hand-wringers asking her stupid questions about the poor terrorists getting the feelings hurt.

Besides, who would you suggest Trump nominate who doesn't have any issues you don't approve of?

17 posted on 05/09/2018 1:43:35 PM PDT by HotHunt
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To: HotHunt

“Once confirmed, she can do her job without these pearl-clutching, hand-wringers asking her stupid questions about the poor terrorists getting the feelings hurt.

Besides, who would you suggest Trump nominate who doesn’t have any issues you don’t approve of? “


Don’t forget that Trump has said, rightly, he didn’t mind waterboarding our ennemies. So for Gina Haspel to open her mouth to condemn it as if it was barbarism (it is NOT) is not only stupid policy-wise, it is a cheap shot directly at her prospective boss. Is such PC contrived disloyalty ok ? I don’t think so.
As to the nomination for the CIA head, Trump could have named many like Mike Pompeo, for example Chaffetz or Jim Jordan. Or even why not Gorka or Bongino. There are millions of people more eligible and hundred millions more honnest than Obama’s CIA head Brennan. Even a groundhog would fare better than Brennan.
I am not saying outright that Gina Haspel is unfit, I am just disgusted by her blatant disloyalty. Seeing how underwhelming (to stay polite) Wray and Sessions are, it’s quite possible for Trump to be misled by the swamp here again.


18 posted on 05/09/2018 2:23:49 PM PDT by miniTAX (au)
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To: miniTAX
All candidates are flawed in some way. Trump can't please everybody and I wouldn't want him too.

Trump has nominated this women to head the CIA and we should back him in that decision.

He's making these decisions. Not us.

19 posted on 05/09/2018 3:21:01 PM PDT by HotHunt
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

“In January of 2017, the [Senate Intelligence Committee] issued a joint report on the Russia involvement in the 2016 elections. Do you agree with the findings of that report?” Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine asked Haspel.”
They are not going to confirm anybody who demands proof of so-called “Russia involvement.” They won’t even nominate such a person.


20 posted on 05/09/2018 4:34:22 PM PDT by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Mozart tells you what it's like to be human. Bach tells you what it's like to be the universe)
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