WASHINGTON – US Senate confirmed Gina Haspel as the first female director of the CIA on Thursday, despite opposition stemming out of her involvement in the brutal torture of terror suspects.
Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency secured 54 votes against 45, with half a dozen opposition Democrats ditching their party policy and supporting the controversial Haspel’s nomination.
Two Republicans also voted against her, while Republican Senator John McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, also opposed her nomination; McCain is in Arizona battling brain cancer and could not vote.
The 61-year-old Haspel will be replacing Mike Pompeo, who has been roped in by the tycoon-turned-president as secretary of state; President Trump felicitated the lady on the appointment.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/world/mike-pompeo-confirmed-as-us-secretary-of-state/
Though Haspel is widely respected as a disciplined, non-political field agent, analysts cite her role as manager of a secret prison in Thailand to confront the appointment as the spy chief.
In the Thailand black site, Al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri were water-boarded and the technique was widely condemned as torture.
Trump had openly supported Haspel, saying she was facing the flak because she was too tough on terrorists.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/993446539988217857
The CIA director has, under his belt, 33 years of experience as a spy veteran and at her confirmation hearing, she told senators that she doesn’t believe torture works.
“Under my leadership, CIA will not restart such a detention and interrogation program.” said the lady.
