Haspel: I will not bring back CIA’s interrogation program

President Trump’s nominee to lead the CIA vowed on Wednesday not to bring back the spy agency’s controversial interrogation program, addressing early in her Senate confirmation hearing a key point on her record that Democrats and other critics have scrutinized. 

“I can offer you my personal commitment, clearly and without reservation, that under my leadership, on my watch, the CIA will not restart a detention and interrogation program,” Gina Haspel, the nominee for CIA director, told lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Her pledge not to bring back the CIA’s “rendition, detention and interrogation” program came during her opening remarks at her confirmation hearing. {mosads}

Haspel said the CIA was not prepared to conduct such an interrogation program.

“The CIA has learned some tough lessons from that experience. We were asked to tackle a mission that fell outside our expertise,” she continued, describing it as a “lesson learned” for the agency.

She emphasized how she supports the U.S. government’s legal policy framework that governs detentions and retentions, a law that was put into place after her post 9/11 interrogation involvement.

Democrats and other critics have fiercely opposed Haspel’s nomination, arguing that her past record should disqualify her from leading the CIA.