CIAs New Deputy Director Is A Veteran Spy Who Oversaw Black Sites Where Detainees Were Tortured

[Judi Lynn]

CIA’s New Deputy Director Is A Veteran Spy Who Oversaw Black Sites Where Detainees Were Tortured

Her selection for the role may mean Trump is ready to move back to harsh treatment of detainees.
02/02/2017 06:30 pm ET


Matt Ferner
National Reporter, The Huffington Post


President Donald Trump selected Gina Haspel, a career intelligence officer who has been linked to the CIA’s controversial operation of secret prisons and harsh interrogation program, as the new deputy director for the spy agency, recently sworn in CIA chief Mike Pompeo announced Thursday.

Haspel, the first woman to be named to the position, brings more than three decades of CIA experience to the role. Over the course of her career, she’s held numerous senior leadership positions at the agency, has served as station chief in several assignments overseas, and was also the first woman to lead the Clandestine Service, the branch of the CIA responsible for overseeing the agency’s spying operations around the world.

“Ms. Haspel is an outstanding career intelligence officer,” CIA spokesman Jonathan Liu said in an emailed statement to The Huffington Post, adding that she’s “strong and effective” and held in high esteem by her colleagues.

Former intelligence officials also praised Haspel’s selection. James Clapper, former director of national intelligence, said she has “broad-gauged experience” in both foreign and domestic assignments. And former CIA deputy director Stephen Kappes who served under President George W. Bush said Haspel is a “person of great honesty and integrity” who “leads actively and never shies away from the difficult tasks.”

More:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gina-haspel-cia_us_5893b23ee4b09bd304ba7ac7?section=us_politics

[Solly Mack]

1. Treat torture as if it is a policy matter and this is what you get.

Torture is a crime. It was banned long before Shrub was in office, it was illegal the entire time he was in office. But America pretended that there was some room for debate.

The US tortured people and got away with it. Worse, most pretended it didn't really matter.

No one should be shocked if it happens again. Trump knows what he can get away with because Bush/Cheney were allowed to get away with it.

People think America survived Bush but Bush corroded America with his war crimes and it was made worse when he got away with his war crimes. That Trump can so freely talk of torturing people again without swift impeachment shows just how much we lost as nation.

People repeatedly said that if Bush is allowed to get away with his crimes then another would come along and do it again. Maybe even worse.

Well...don't pretend shock or surprise America - because you were warned.