The new CIA Director: Proponent of Torture or Effective Spook?

March 18, 2018

Is the proposed appointment of Gina Haspel as Director of the CIA good for the country, or will it open new wounds that many around the country thought had healed?

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With the recent news that President Trump has plans to appoint career CIA official Gina Haspel to the directorship of the CIA, I wonder whether this a good move. Is she the right person for the job?  Many Democrats are against her appointment because it is rumored that she was part of the agency's notorious and controversial rendition program (approved by the Bush Administration), in which the spy agency worked with nefarious governments to transport suspected terrorists for interrogation and sometimes, alleged torture. It is illegal under current US and international law.  The Guardian newspaper, in a March 16th post, stated that she specifically ran a controversial "black" site in Thailand, and who believed the program was successful and should've been in use.  Democrats, who are desperately hoping to regain control of at least one or possibly both houses of Congress in the 2018 midterm elections, are very upset about this possible appointment.  Some lawmakers feel that her appointment would signal to the world community that the United States government accepts torture again and would alienate allies who are against this practice.

Former intelligence officials, including Michael Hayden (former NSA and CIA Director under Bush and Obama, respectively), have supported her for the agency's leadership, saying she had done whatever her government and country have asked, according to The Guardian article.  The newspaper article's author, Vincent Warren, worked for a human rights organization wants those who torture prosecuted under the law.  Mr. Warren believes that the United States having a CIA Director who participated in alleged torture and working for President Trump is not a good symbol for the world to acknowledge.  It would make cooperation with those countries who do not see the value in torture to work collaboratively with American intelligence sources challenging. In addition, President Trump appears to admire and align his beliefs with known authoritarian leaders and dictators like Vladimir Putin, President Duterte of the Philippines and President Erdogan of Turkey.  Having Ms. Gaspel as CIA Director, who works on behalf of a president who fires those who do not comply with his policies and contradicts Trump's tweets, will anger allies who are trying to defend their own democracies and government transparency.  The Nobel Committee gave President Obama the Peace Prize his first year in office simply because he was the total opposite of President Bush, who approved "non-traditional" interrogation methods and gave his European allies immense fits for his behavior.  

I will admit that the image of President Trump standing next to his incoming CIA Director, one who is alleged to have run a torture site in a foreign country, accepting his recommendation for the top intelligence post in the national security apparatus does nothing for America's international standing.  Those who support the president, and his controversial policy positions (the so-called "Muslim ban, building a wall on the southern border with Mexico) do not see the negative and contradictory image of the United States perception as the "Arsenal of Democracy" and the "Leader of the Free World" and having a controversial CIA Director in charge of intelligence gathering.  I hope President Trump just considers her but chooses some once else. There are many other competent former spooks who could handle the job and the political dexterity that comes with the prominent position.  However, I think unless Democrats regain control of the House, and bring Ms. Haspel to testify before a powerful House committee, her position as Director of the CIA will be secure under the time under Trump Administration.