https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...-american-history’/ar-BBKaZB5?ocid=spartandhp
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday condemned President Trump's decision to nominate Gina Haspel to become the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), saying she was involved in "one of darkest chapters in American history."
While he expressed confidence in current CIA Director Mike Pompeo's ability to serve as secretary of State, an appointment Trump announced earlier Tuesday, McCain said in a statement that Haspel needs to explain her stance on torture.
"The torture of detainees in U.S. custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history," McCain said. "Ms. Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA's interrogation program during the confirmation process."
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration "squandered precious moral authority" to get intelligence, McCain said.
Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and faced scrutiny for her role surrounding waterboarding and other interrogation techniques used on detainees at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002.
The American Civil Liberties Union said Haspel was "up to her eyeballs in torture, both in running a secret torture prison in Thailand and carrying out an order to cover up torture crimes by destroying videotapes."
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Tuesday condemned President Trump's decision to nominate Gina Haspel to become the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), saying she was involved in "one of darkest chapters in American history."
While he expressed confidence in current CIA Director Mike Pompeo's ability to serve as secretary of State, an appointment Trump announced earlier Tuesday, McCain said in a statement that Haspel needs to explain her stance on torture.
"The torture of detainees in U.S. custody during the last decade was one of the darkest chapters in American history," McCain said. "Ms. Haspel needs to explain the nature and extent of her involvement in the CIA's interrogation program during the confirmation process."
Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration "squandered precious moral authority" to get intelligence, McCain said.
Haspel joined the CIA in 1985 and faced scrutiny for her role surrounding waterboarding and other interrogation techniques used on detainees at a secret CIA prison in Thailand in 2002.
The American Civil Liberties Union said Haspel was "up to her eyeballs in torture, both in running a secret torture prison in Thailand and carrying out an order to cover up torture crimes by destroying videotapes."
